Divine Tragedy
by AphroditeV
Summary: Henesys, Amoria, Kerning, Ellinia, Perion, and Lith were seen as divine. Hatred, jealousy, and misconceptions blind them from an old foe as it destroys them from within. Their personal conflicts becomes their downfall&brings their demise. Lots of drama!
1. Prologue

**Maple Story: Divine Tragedy  
**

**Summary: **A sorcerer by the name of Sleepywood deemed Henesys, Amoria, Kerning, Ellinia, Perion, and Lith too powerful to freely roam the lands, so they were sealed inside stone statues and were called gods and goddesses. 500 years later they've managed to break free from their stone prisons and they've set out for revenge. Descendents of the sorcerer sought out to end this divine rampage and send them to their deaths. Both sides had reasons to kill… in this divine battle, there was no right or wrong. The gods and goddesses were once human too, and their own personal conflicts with each other brought them their ultimate demise. This is a story of love, tragedy, drama, and internal conflicts.

**Prologue**

It was a breezy night. The moon was high in the sky enveloped by sparkling stars. The leaves seem to sway in the rhythm of the wind in perfect harmony. The wind soon carried itself onto a small quaint town. The streets were empty and its many shops were closed. Shopkeepers have long gone asleep in their private rooms built in their shops and light became nonexistent in this small little town.

_Amoria_.

That was the name of this quaint little town. Named after the goddess that was said to watch over the town. This town was no ordinary town. There were no actual residential houses located anywhere. The people that resided in this town were its shopkeepers and business owners. The poor were often found in the streets begging for money from travelers far and near that were visiting the place. There were no restrictions on who could visit the town, so people everywhere would come very often to browse around its many shops.

Most people come to Amoria to get married. Those who are rich and fortunate enough would pay to get a ticket to perform marriage ceremonies in the chapels of Amoria and in the Grand Cathedral, where the statue of the goddess Amoria resides. They believe that getting married in front of the statue would bring them many blessings and years and years of happiness in their marriage.

The leaves in the trees next to the Grand Cathedral rustle slightly as the small breeze weave in between the tiny gaps between leaves. Guided by the light of the moon, the wind carries a scurry of green leaves through a small crack in the opening of a window to the side of the Grand Cathedral. The wind starts to dissipate in front of a life-sized stone statue and the leaves began to descend without the strength of the wind to hold them up. Before they hit the ground, bolts of energy--almost like lightning--pierces through the leaves, sending them to the floor in half.

More bolts of energy began to surface around the stone statue and the barrier around it. From the bottom up, the life-size statue depicted a young maiden in a flowing dress with her eyes closed holding a long staff in her right hand and an orb in her left. Four floating golden yellow stones formed an invisible barrier around the statue. More and more energy bolts seem to emerge from the stone statue, piercing the stones that seem to hold the barrier into place.

Cracks could be heard from the energy bolts as they whip the crisp night air inside the Grand Cathedral. The cracks soon became louder as the stones creating the strong barrier began to crumble slowly and fall straight to the ground.

Then, all fell silent. Only small cracks of remaining energy bolts could be heard snapping around the statue. As the dimming light of the moon disappears, two glowing pairs of eyes emerge from the statue, shining in a bright gold color.


	2. Chapter 1: A Stone Cold Barrier

**Chapter 1: A Stone Cold Barrier  
**

It was early the next morning and the people in town had just started to perform their daily morning rituals. Birds were chirping gleefully in the coming of this new day and the flowers opened up their petals to receive the first rays of the morning sun and to soak in the morning dew. What a wonderful morning it was.

It was so wonderful that in fact, the cathedral staff didn't mind cleaning up the crumbled pieces of stone around the statue. They carefully swept the broken pieces into bins and carried them out to the back. The cathedral elder stood in the middle isle staring skeptically at the stone statue of the maiden deep in thought. He scratches his head and sighs.

"What could have done this?" He asks as he scratches his chin. A middle-age nun that was standing near him looked at him in wonder, and then looked back at the cathedral staff cleaning up the mess. Her eyes slowly trace the intricate outlines of the stone statue, trying to find any indications that the statue itself could be the cause of this, and she sighs in defeat.

"I have no idea. Maybe the rocks just lost their powers." She says as she glances over to the cathedral elder.

"Well, whatever it is, we better get this place cleaned up, there is a ceremony going on in about 15 minutes." He says as he starts to leave. The middle-age nun nods, bows and returns to her duties.

_15 Minutes Later..._

The Cathedral bells could be heard ringing through the whole entire town. Travelers in the streets stop for a moment and gaze towards the direction of the cathedral and smile to themselves.

"Do you, good sir, take this lovely young lady to be your wife?" The cathedral elder recites.

"Yes, I do."

"Then do you, fair lady, take this handsome young man to be your husband?" He recites as he glances up, waiting for her reply.

"Yes, I do."

"Then I now pronounce you, husband and wife. You may kiss the bride." The audience watching the wedding began to cheer as the newly wedded couple locks lips. After they part, they face the cathedral elder once more.

"We are ready for Amoria's blessings." The new husband says to the cathedral elder with a smile. The cathedral elder nods his head and turns around. He bows slightly to the stone statue behind him and the whole cathedral fell silent. The newly wedded couple behind him bows with him.

"Amoria, goddess of Love, please grant this newly wedded couple peace and harmony in their marriage and may their love last until the ends of time. And let them find forever happiness in their new lives." The cathedral elder says with his eyes closed and focused. The statue remains lifeless and emotionless with her eyes closed. The cathedral elder straightens himself up and turns back to face the couple.

"You have Amoria's blessings." He says kindly to the couple. The couple faces each other and smiles. They began to descend from the isle and out the front doors with the crowd cheering wildly behind them. Then they were gone.

"Well, another successful marriage ceremony performed." The cathedral elder says as he steps down from his spot.

"We have another one in about an hour and a half." The middle-age nun says as she approaches him. She seems slightly irritated.

"Lighten up, Victoria, it's heart warming to see newly wedded couples leave this place in absolute happiness. I wouldn't trade this job for any other job in the world!" He says with a slight chuckle.

"Well, you're the one to talk. At least your job does not include making all the arrangements for the marriage." She replies with a tired look on her face. She takes a seat in the front row.

"Well, I guess that's true." He says as he starts to leave. She slumps down further in her seat and sighs.

Outside the cathedral, life was in full bloom as shops and restaurants served their customers in heaps. The streets were full of people and travelers from all over the place. Gossips were being exchanged as people conversed in the many parks and gardens located in the small town.

"Wow, I have never been to such a beautiful town! Everything is so pretty and beautiful! Everything looks so lovey-dovey! What's the name of this place?" A young girl with blonde pigtails holding a wooden crossbow says in a high pitched voice. Her eyes seem to be wandering all over the place, as to inspect every inch of her area.

"This place is called the village Amoria, named after the goddess of Love. It's where people from all over the place come to get married." He says as he sighs out of boredom.

"Really?" She asks in curiosity and turns to his direction.

"Yes, now let's go. I'm bored already." They walk into a crowded street and vanished in the crowds of people.

Gossip continued in another peaceful garden in the village of Amoria.

"Hey, have you heard? Jen and Josh just got married this morning!"

"What? Really? No way!"

"Yes way! They also got goddess Amoria's blessings!"

"Wow! They are so lucky! I wish i had goddess Amoria's blessings! Then i would finally find happiness!"

"Me too! Wow, she must be one loving goddess to bless so many people!"

"Yeah!" They giggle in laughter together.

In the streets of the marketplace, conversations were being exchanged, even in the shops.

The tiny store bell jingled as a customer entered. The shop was filled with tuxedoes and wedding gowns as well as other dresses and clothes. There were customers inside the store already. The store keeper turns around and greets the customer.

"Welcome to my shop... how may i help you...?" He says in a kind tone and a big smile while carefully handling some boxes.

"Ah... long time no see. I'm just stopping by deliver you the items you've requested." A middle-aged man says as he drops off a small box.

"Oh, it's very nice to see you again, James. Thank you so very much for dropping off these items." The shopkeeper says as he accepts the box and signs the form that was handed to him. James leans on the counter with his elbow and watches as the shopkeeper signs the papers.

"Hey have you heard?" He starts.

"Heard about what?" The shopkeeper looks up, blinks a few times, and straightens his glasses. He then hands the papers back to James and he puts them inside his bag.

"Heard about the incident in the cathedral. Them rocks floating around that statue inside were found broken and crumbled on the cathedral floor this morning. I heard a bunch of them nuns talking about it outside the cathedral while I was walking by earlier." He says as he recalls the events from his memory.

"Oh I haven't heard anything about that yet... I wonder what happened." The shopkeeper says in surprise.

"Well whatever it is, it did no damage to the statue, so that's a relief. That's a mighty fine statue in there, i only caught a quick glimpse of it, but if it were real, I'd pay anything to have her as my bride!" He says as he laughs out loud. The shopkeeper chuckles awkwardly as James start to take his leave.

"Well, I'll see you later. Bye." He waves as he leaves the door.

"Be safe now!" The shopkeeper waves back before the door closes. The shopkeeper sighs to himself. He picks up the small box and walks out from behind the counter and over to the young man clad in black and blue armor sitting on a bench nearby in his store.

"Your order is ready sir. Let me install it onto your helmet." The young man follows the shopkeeper to the counter as the shopkeeper opens the box. The young man removes his helmet to reveal stunning black hair and a very handsome young face. He stands at about 6'4" with a powerful body. He puts the helmet on the counter and the shopkeeper removes the item from inside the box. It was a small crystal, about the size of the shopkeeper's palms. It was very shiny.

"Is that the silver crystal?" The young man asks as he watches the shopkeeper hack away at his helmet.

"Why yes it is. It will improve the overall quality of your helmet and since you are a warrior, it will add to your strength." The shopkeeper explains as he continues to carefully hammer the helmet.

"Oh... I see." He says as he eyes his poor helmet being hammered. His eyes cringes a little as they follow the shopkeeper's hammering.

"You are a dragon knight am I correct?" The shopkeeper tries to keep his attention away from the helmet. The loud hammering refuses to be hidden however.

"Oh, yes i am... is my helmet going to be okay?" He asks as he stares at his poor helmet. His eyes following the very movement of the hammer.

"You look mighty strong for a dragon knight, heck, maybe even the strongest in Amoria I've ever seen." The shopkeeper continues to try to steer the dragon knight's focus away from his helmet.

"Maybe... I try to keep a low profile." He explains almost sheepishly. The shopkeeper finally finishes and hands the helmet back to its original owner.

"Okay, I'm finished." He says as he wipes his hands on his apron. The dragon knight examines the helmet over by turn it from side to side before returning it to his head. It was much shinier than before.

"Thank you very much." He says as he prepares to pay the shopkeeper. The shopkeeper returns to his place behind the counter and calculates the amount of money the dragon knight owes him.

"That would be 100,000 mesos." He says. The dragon knight pays him and turns around to walk out the door. The small bell jingles again as the door closes behind him.

'Wow, with this new helmet, I will be even stronger than before!' The dragon knight thinks to himself as he strolls down the street.

'I wonder what is up with what that deliveryman said earlier about the stones being broken... In myths, it was said that the stones surrounding that statue kept the goddess Amoria locked up inside... the same goes for the other 5 gods and goddess: Lith, Henesys, Perion, Kerning, and Ellinia. I wonder if their seal has been broken too... it also said that a powerful wizard by the name of Sleepywood deemed them too powerful to roam freely as regular humans and sealed them up inside stone statues and called them gods and goddesses. Then the wizard sealed himself up in a town deep in a forest so that no one would be able to break them out of their seal to unleash their unstoppable power. But that was all hundreds of years ago... could the stones have lost their powers over time? Who would be strong enough to break through the barrier? Is this a new threat? So many questions... and no answers...' The dragon knight thought to himself as he kept walking. He too, disappeared into the crowd.

The day continued. More gossips about the broken stones were being passed around. Nobody really cared about it and just brushed it passed them. Others thought about it skeptically and gave up after they were unable to figure out what happened. To them, as long as the statue was in one piece, they were perfectly fine. Dusk soon approached and before they knew it, night has fallen.


	3. Chapter 2: Awaken, Goddess of Love

**Chapter 2: Awaken, Goddess of Love **

Dusk began to take its leave, dragging the deep pink and orange along with it. Stars enveloped in darkness soon replaced it. Travelers had long left the town to return to their place of rest to stop for the night. Only the strong warriors stay out past late to train with the monsters of the night. The people still on the streets were mostly people that didn't have a home, or just didn't belong. The stray animals had already taken shelter for the night.

The moon is a glorious crescent tonight. Its sharp curves look as though they could slice through any monster it pleases. The sky around was sprinkled with tiny specs of light that seem to go on forever. It was perfectly understandable to mistaken this sight as merely a dream. This is the Amorian Sky.

The night turns gravely silent as time slowly progresses. Noises seem to have just all of a sudden vanished. Even the crickets refuse to let out their calls. The rustling wind carried an ominous aura. Something just wasn't normal. The deathly silence proved it.

The leaves in the trees follows the rushing wind as the branches tries their best to keep the leaves from leaving them. The winds seem to disappear once it approaches the Grand Cathedral, as if to signal the coming of something divine from inside. The radiant rays of moonlight were shining through the transparent dome on top of the Grand Cathedral. It cast shadows over every object it touched, including the statue of the goddess Amoria in the front and center of the Grand Cathedral. Her face was buried deep in the shadows of the moonlight.

_Snap!_

That familiar snapping noise from the previous night began to arise again. Tiny bolts of energy began to slowly emerge from the life-size statue. The faint flashes and snaps of energy began to dance around the stone statue, just barely touching its stone hard surface. The soft expression of the statue made it seem so innocent. The soft snapping of energy bolts gradually increases as more light tries to keep up with its pace.

A small gust of silvery wind blows past the bottom of the statue along the floor. The bright colored wind instantly turns into a whirlwind of intense energy swirling around the stone statue. Strong streams of even brighter energy begins to spring upwards from the ground near the statue's feet and into the ceiling of the cathedral, piercing through it and into the dark night sky. Tiny translucent pieces of glass began to rain down from above, creating a sparkling veil as it falls pass the statue and onto the ground. The light emitting from all this energy lights up the entire cathedral, from the front to the doors in the back.

Inside the swirling whirlwind of energy, tiny bits of stone and sand begins to slowly evaporate from the statue's head, revealing glowing golden hair and beautiful porcelain skin. Bits by bits, the stone began to evaporate into the air, leaving the glowing body of the goddess that had been entombed for so long in that cold, stone prison.

The whirlwind of silver and metallic pink energy continues to emit around the now freed goddess. Her body is cloaked with a magnificent white dress that draped along the ground around her. Armor of gold surrounds her waist and above her breasts. A ring circlet surrounds her forehead with a red jewel embedded in the center. Her arms and hands were free and down at her sides, unlike her statue depicts. She begins to take in a lungful of air.

_Her first breath in 500 years_…

Her chest rises up and down in a set rhythm as she continues to take in more breaths of the cool night air. Her eyes then begin to slowly open, revealing a pupiless divine glow. She stares straight forward, her mind not fully awaken yet, and takes her first step forward.

_Her first step in 500 years…_

The three golden ankle rings on her right foot jingles with her every step. She continues to take slow and careful strides towards the doors at the back of the cathedral, almost as if she was walking on water. Streams of bright light continue to emit around her majestically. Her expression remains still and emotionless, yet calm and graceful at the same time. As she neared the doors in the back of the cathedral, they flew open as powerful gusts of wind pushed against it and the hinges. The goddess slowly emerges from the cathedral, almost walking in a state of trance.

At the top of the stairs leading down to the ground, the crisp stillness of the night greets her warm porcelain skin. The rays of the moon shines down on her, making her glow more radiant and divine. She glows a bright ghostly white, her features blending in with the light the whirlwinds of energy were emitting.

She takes another slow breath in, breathing in the cool night air through her nasal passages and into her lungs. She slowly begins to ascend down the many flights of stairs leading down to the ground. The soft tap of her golden sandals made the only noise in the surrounding area. Her long, beautiful white dress trails behind her like a bride's wedding gown, her feet the first to touch each next step. The night breeze ruffles around her hair and dress, making them sway angelically. The crisp night air tingles her soft skin as she passes them by.

The streets were quiet. The only sound made were the light footsteps of the goddess in her golden sandal, making her way deep into the forest.

The forest South of Amoria. The only way out of the village and onto the neighboring village not far away.


	4. Chapter 3: Dawn of True Power

**Chapter 3:**** Dawn of True Power**

It was early in the morning and the sun had just barely climbed over the many hills surrounding the busy city. The birds had just started to sing their morning tunes, the flowers positioned their petals to engulf the first rays of the sun, and the people were slowly awakening to face a brand new day.

Work starts early for this particular city. Its many merchants scramble to set up stands in the streets in attempt to sell their goods to its millions of travelers that pass by everyday. Pet owners wake up particularly early to take their pet for walks in this city's many parks. Residential houses are packed in this big city, and its population constantly grows. This city is considered one of the busiest on the continent of Victoria.

The streets are always packed with people, whether they are just passing through or browsing around the items merchants are selling. The parks are no different either, pet owners are always walking their pets and many of the women enjoy taking walks to converse and indulge themselves in the latest gossip. Travelers enjoy sitting around the edges of the forest and near the entrance of the city to chat and talk about things.

"Hey guess what, the snails in the hunting grounds to the west of the city dropped me this sword yesterday." A young warrior with a green headband and white shirt and jeans says as he holds up his new weapon. He was sitting in his relaxer chair near the entrance to the city along with 3 other friends. They were all wearing different colored headbands.

"Really? Wow that's pretty nice. It looks really sharp. Those snails never drop me anything." The friend with a red headband replies as he frowns. The other 3 sitting with him laughs.

"Oh yeah, did you guys hear?" The one with a yellow headband starts. He instantly grabs the attention of the other 3 that were listening to him.

"What? I hear many things here in Henesys…" The one with a green headband replies jokingly. They all laugh with him.

"About that incident in Amoria village…" He continues. His 3 friends look at him attentively.

"Oh about those rocks around the statue?" The one with a purple headband asks curiously. The word about the broken barrier surrounding the statue of the goddess Amoria has spread rather quickly across the continent of Victoria.

"Yeah! How could rocks that formed a barrier be broken? Whoever did it must have some special abilities or something. Usually nobody could even touch those rocks, let alone crack and break them…" He finishes. His 3 friends look at him questioningly.

"Oh you know what I heard early this morning while passing through the city? I heard that the whole entire statue disappeared! In its place was a bunch of sand and bits of rock!" The friend with the green headband says shockingly. They all look at him with a surprised expression on their faces.

"Someone desecrated the statue after breaking off the barrier? Who would do that? It's just a statue…" The one with the purple headband comments as he sits back in his relaxer chair.

"But I heard that the goddess Amoria was locked up inside that statue. I wonder if they were trying to free her or something." The one with the green headband says.

"What a bunch of crap. Do you honestly believe that stuff? It's just stories people make up to explain how things came to be and how the cities got their names. There's no such thing as gods and goddesses here. They just made it up." The one with the red headband says while trying to convince everyone that he is right. The others weren't so easily convinced. These myths and legends were told to them when they were children, and they grew up believing it.

"Ehh… whatever." They all sit back and sigh.

The clouds in the blue sky were slowly moving pass overhead as the day progressed. Soon it was noon and everybody was looking for places to rest and enjoy their lunches. The crowded streets did not let up however. In fact, things were starting to get a little crazy.

"HAHA, I am the strongest in these streets! Nobody can beat me!" A fairly big man hollers as he holds up his Red Katana. He was clad in fairly heavy armor and was the leader in a small gang that just happened to pass down the street. He was a crusader that had just received his 3rd job advancement and was feeling a bit cocky. He stops in the middle of the street to show off his strength. The weaker people in the streets as well as the commoners start to back away slowly, afraid of getting hurt. Women and their children decide to clear the streets to avoid harm. The rest of the people either continued walking and ignoring him, or stood around to see what was going on.

"Yeah! No one can beat our boss! He will slice you in two!" One of his gang members explains. The leader breaks out a smirk and shows off his new weapon by slicing the air. People standing around began to whisper to themselves.

A familiar dragon knight just happened to be near all the commotion. He was leaning against the stone wall that outlined the streets with his arms crossed. He was caught up in his own thoughts until the commotion started.

'Pathetic noob.' He thinks to himself and scoffs. It was then that he notices a young woman with long, golden hair, light hazel colored eyes, and dressed in white with gold armor, passing through the crowd of people surrounding the leader of the gang. She seems to be oblivious to what was going on. For some reason, this young woman caught his attention, and he was curious to what would happen next. Maybe she would need rescuing after she crosses paths with the gang. She seems to be walking and ignoring everyone and everything around her.

"So who wants to try my strength? Any volunteers? Come on! Don't be shy!" The leader of the gang sneers as he watches the crowd back off. Then, the young women dressed in white with gold armor passes through the crowd of people and walks pass the gang, never even bother to look at them. Her footsteps were light and gentle. She didn't even seem to notice the gang in the middle of the street. This angered the leader greatly.

"Hey you woman!" He says as he growls angrily. He waves his sword in her direction.

"How dare you pass us without even bothering to look at us! You've insulted us greatly! Turn around wench!" He calls out after her. He grits his teeth and tightens the grip on his sword. The woman stops in her path but does not turn around. Her expression was emotionless and her eyes were fixed on the ground a few feet in front of her. Strands of hair from her bangs frame her face. She was shorter than he was. She continues to stand perfectly still. The gang members run to block her path as the people standing around watching parted to make way for them.

"Turn around wench! Our leader is talking to you!" One of the gang members yell out. The boss decides to walk in front of her and faces her. Anger was written all over his face.

"I'm talking to you woman. Who do you think you are ignoring me?" The gang leader says, his voice almost threatening. The woman does not respond. This angered the gang leader even more.

"I'M TALKING TO YOU." He yells at her as he grabs under her chin violently to point her face towards him. He places his blade against her neck, threatening to cut her. They were now looking at each other eye to eye. Her eyes were perfectly calm, while his eyes were filled with fury.

"Hey… you're really pretty. How about we head back to my place and forget that this ever happened?" He says as his tone suddenly changes. He smiles a lustful smile. He seems to have calmed down drastically. Talk about a mood swing.

"Remove…your…dirty…hands…from…my…face." She says slowly, but menacingly in a cold, icy voice. She narrows her eyes slightly and in one quiet movement, she swats his hands away and sends him to the ground. He lands with a _thud_ and on his bottom. His Red Katana lies next to him. Gasps could be heard around the surrounding crowd as well as whispers. She then continues walking her direction.

"STOP!" The remaining gang members halt her in her path once again. Their leader had regained his posture and had taken his spot in front of his gang ahead of her.

"Get out of my way." She says in another cold tone. The glare she was giving them could pierce through the toughest armor. The gang held their weapons in a ready position and positioned themselves for an all out attack.

"NEVER! …ATTACK!" The gang leader calls out as they lunge at her with their weapons. More gasps could be heard from the surrounding crowds.

'This woman… something's not right about her…' The dragon knight thinks to himself as he evaluates the scene before him.

The woman became irritated and swipes her right hand up and sideways in the air. At that instant, hoards of energy came crashing into the gang members, evaporating them where they stand. Her expression remains indifferent. The crowd of people surrounding her stood there, stunned.

'WHAT THE…' The dragon knight could not believe his eyes. His arms were no longer crossed; he was entirely captivated at the sight before him. His eyes were widened with surprise.

'How could she have DISSINAGRATED them with one swipe of her hand?!' He asks himself. He was as stunned as the people surrounding the scene.

The woman takes a slow breath in and continues walking down the street. The people part a path for her to walk through and soon, she blends in and vanishes in the crowd of travelers walking in her direction.

The word had spread quickly down the streets of Henesys and curious eyes started to cast down upon this woman with 'golden hair in a white dress with gold armor' and wondered what sort of being was she. Some were convinced she was just an ordinary warrior like themselves, while the more skeptical ones thought otherwise. Perhaps she was a monster disguised as a woman. Who knows?


	5. Chapter 4: Enter Henesy, god of Archery

**Chapter 4: ****Enter Henesys, god of Archery**

In another part of Henesys, where the crowd was less dense, there was a small tower where the current master of archery lived. It was here that young warriors start their journey to become a bowman or crossbowman. The master would grant them the abilities and give them a guide on how to learn new abilities as they get stronger. The master herself was over 500 years old, but her intense skills have kept her looking very young. Her silver hair reflected graceful beautiful on her pale complexion and her deep, green eyes make her look even wiser.

"Miss Athena Pierce, I wish to become a bowman. Please grant me the abilities to become a strong bowman…" A young man says politely as he kneels down before her. Her deep green eyes examine the young man carefully and make her decision. She was standing in front of her wooden desk filled with papers. The room she was in was more like a hall with pillars on both sides and a red carpet that led to her desk from the door. She had a few attendants around her that were patiently for their next assignment or request.

"Very well. You are deemed worthy of becoming a bowman. Train hard and you have the potential of becoming one of the strongest. I wish you luck on your journey." Athena Pierce says in her strong voice. She then hands him a lengthy book with a bow and arrow engraved on the cover. He kindly accepts the book and bows his head politely. Athena Pierce then waves her hand over his head and he instantly feels stronger. The tingling feeling rushes down his spine and into his gut. He could feel the sudden change in strength in his chest and arm muscles. He thanks her and leaves quietly. After he leaves through the doors in the back of the room, an attendant standing near the back of the room closes the doors shut. Athena returns to her desk, closes her eyes, and sighs. She rubs her temple as if a migraine had suddenly erupted.

"My lady, are you feeling ill?" One of her attendants nearby asks in a graceful voice as she bows her head slightly.

"No, I am feeling fine, it's nothing at all. It's just getting really boring for me these days." She replies while still rubbing her head. She takes another deep sigh and leans back in her throne-like chair. Another attendant near her approaches her.

"My lady, why don't you tell us some stories? That should keep you from boredom. You're a very good story teller." She says as she bows her head slightly as well. Athena looks up and casts her green eyes upon this attendant and smiles.

"Why thank you. Now which story would you like to hear? After living for over 500 years, there are many stories to tell. Now which one would you like to hear?" She asks her attendant with interest in her voice. At least now she wouldn't be bored.

"I want to hear the one about Henesys!" Her attendant exclaims with a bright smile while pointing to a life-sized statue of a very handsome young man on a horse with a bow in his hand. Similar smaller versions of this statue were placed around the small village of Amoria as well. The statue was located near the center of the room off to the side against the wall. The horse seems to be frozen in a mid gallop while the young man on the horse was readying to fire his bow. Four yellow floating rocks seem to also create an invisible barrier around the statue, similar to the ones that kept Amoria locked up inside the statue. Athena's face seems to brighten as a faint blush was set on her cheeks. All the attendants in her room seem to have gathered around her and her desk, willing to listen to her.

"Lets see… Henesys…" She starts as she glances over to the statue. She sighs dreamily as she rests her head on her hands which were held up by her elbow on her desk. Her attendants eagerly wait for her to start.

"Henesys was… a great man. He was the best bowman that ever lived. His skills were… unmatchable. Even for me. He was born here, but of course back then this city was not named Henesys, but 'the village of the archers'. He was very good built, with a very nice body. He was extremely strong… and very handsome." Athena says while still staring dreamily at the statue. The statue seems to glitter under the light of the sun's rays coming through an opening high up on the ceiling. She sighs dreamily again and tilts her head slightly while putting more force on her elbows to hold her head up.

"So were you in love with Henesys?" One of her attendants asks while leaning forward against her desk, eagerly waiting for a reply. Athena breaks out a smile, then a small chuckle. She leans back in her chair again and closes her eyes.

"He was the sweetest man I have ever met. And the most beautiful I have ever laid eyes on. His eyes… were so captivating… one glance and I find myself lost in a pool of bliss… and his beautiful brown hair... the wind seems to love to dance around it. I first met him while I was walking around the woods one day and had gotten lost. A monster all of a sudden leaped out of nowhere and Henesys saved me just in time. He was my hero… and he was so… wonderful…" Athena says dreamily while smiling. Her attendants glance at each other and giggle.

"So why didn't you guys get married back then?" One of her attendants asks her.

"I was still a very young girl back then… he had inspired me to take up archery. He said he would take my hand in marriage once I got older and stronger… so I trained hard… every single day. He was always away from the city, but he would come back often… and I treasured every moment that we spent together." Athena replies and smiles. Her eyes seem to be lost as she stares at the ceiling and recalls the events of her past.

"Oh I see… so was he your only lover?" Another one of her attendants asks. Athena looks at her and smiles.

"Yes, he was my one and only. After he was sealed up by the sorcerer by the name of Sleepywood and named the city Henesys, I felt that it was my duty to watch over this city and teach others the way of the bowman." Athena explains. Her attendants nod their heads as to understand what she had just said.

"So did he kiss you?" Another one of her attendants asks her bluntly. Athena blushes a deep shade of red. A wide smile threatens to take over her face.

"Yes… he did… and it was absolutely amazing. It was so captivating… it was almost impossible not to fall in love with him…" She says while still smiling and blushing.

"Henesys sounds like such a wonderful guy…" One of her attendants says while smiling at Athena.

"Yes, he certainly was." She replies as she giggles slightly. She glances at the statue once more.

"If only he wasn't sealed up in that statue…" Athena says as she sighs deeply and continues to stare absentmindedly at the statue. Suddenly, there were a series of sharp knocks on the door.

_Knock __Knock__Knock_

Everyone came back to reality and an attendant rushes to open the door. Athena straightens herself up and brushes the stray tresses of silver hair from her face, making herself more presentable. Her attendants scramble back to their spots to wait for Athena's commands.

_Creeeeeeeak_

Those doors really need some oil. The door opens to reveal a fairly thin man holding a spear in very light armor. He was one of the guards guarding the outside of the small tower.

_What was he doing here?_

Then suddenly, the fairly thin man collapses and falls face first onto the floor. He appears to be dead. The attendant that opened that door screams and backs away. The other attendants in the room including Athena gasps in shock. Their eyes were widening with surprise and fear… except Athena's, she was more curious than frightened.

_Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap._

Slow taps of footsteps could be heard outside the room. It seems to be approaching the room. Athena's attendants scramble around Athena as she walks in front of her desk, waiting for whoever comes into the room. Her senses immediately become alert and prepare herself for whoever—or whatever—come into her room. She stands tall and her deep green eyes prepare to meet the eyes of the approaching person.

Out of the shadows came a woman… a woman with golden hair and a white dress with gold armor. Her footsteps are light and graceful. Her composure is steady and tall. Her eyes are sharp and focused. Her long, golden hair rested gently on her back and over her shoulders, with shorter loose strands framing her face. As she was entering the room, Athena narrows her eyes.

'Was this the woman that killed my guard?' Athena asks herself. The woman walks around the guard elegantly and towards Athena. After a few more steps, she comes to a halt and captures Athena's eyes in a stare. Her deep green eyes meet Amoria's light hazel eyes. They keep this stare down for a few seconds before either one speaks.

"Are you Athena Pierce, the overseer of Henesys?" Amoria asks in an icy voice laced with hints of aggression. Athena narrows her eyes and smoothly replies.

"Who are you and what have you done to my guard?" Athena asks almost menacingly, almost in an equal icy tone. She continues to stand tall from across the room from Amoria.

"I asked him a simple question. And he refused to answer. So I asked him to take me inside. So he did… and he has fulfilled his duties." Amoria replies slightly irritated as she recalls events from earlier before she entered the room. She takes a few steps forward.

"What business do you have with me?" Athena asks Amoria in a demanding tone. Amoria glares at Athena and the single orange feather quilt pen in a stand on her desk.

"I have no business with you." Amoria replies in a bitter tone. She then turns her attention to the statue against the wall to her left. She takes a few steps towards the statue. Her expression softens and she smiles.

"I've come for my Henesys…" Amoria continues as her eyes trace the delicate outlines of the stone statue. Athena draws a quick breath in, holds her hand in front of her, summons her blue bow, and quickly draws it. An arrow made of energy appears out of thin air as Athena pulls it back. She takes aim at Amoria. Amoria stays perfectly calm.

"I will not allow you to go near that statue!" Athena shouts then follows with a growl. She holds her bow and arrow in the ready position, firing whenever she feels the need to fire it. Amoria's attention turns back to Athena once more, her calm eyes irritating those of Athena's fierce ones. Amoria glares at Athena after that remark. She draws a deep breath in. Her chest indicating her effort to remain as calm as she was.

"Who are you to stop me?" Amoria narrows her eyes as she sneers. With that said, Athena lets go of her energy arrow and the arrow comes hurling towards Amoria. Her arrow glowed with a bright pink light as it quickly covered the short distance between the two. Amoria instantly put up an invisible barrier in a spark of her eye and Athena's energy arrow dissolves at the moment of impact against Amoria's barrier. Athena's eyes widen in shock as she takes a step back and grips her bow tightly. Her mouth was slightly hung open.

"Impossible…" She whispers slowly to herself, her eyes still wide at how useless her attack was. Her breaths quicken and her heart rate increases. Amoria lets down her barrier and continues to glower at Athena.

"Your pathetic attacks will not work against me." Amoria says as she slowly tries to mock Athena. Athena growls loudly and draws her bow one more time. This time, 3 flaming arrows appear and she fires them. The flaming arrows slice through the air, replacing the oxygen it touches with carbon dioxide, as it heads straight for Amoria. Amoria sends Athena another glare.

"Like I said, you are pathetic." Amoria says right before she swipes the air up and sideways, sending hoards of energy towards Athena's flaming arrows, causing them to combust and explode. The explosion shook the whole entire tower as pieces of the ceiling starts to collapse. It was only a 2 story tower and they were on the second floor. Smoke filled the entire room and Athena's attendants retreat to the corner of the room. Athena coughs as she places her hand over her mouth and nose, trying to rid her lungs of the smoke. Amoria had put up a barrier to keep her safe from the explosion and the smoke.

As the smoke clears up, Athena was forced on the ground by the smoke, her body unable to receive the amount of oxygen it craves. She continues her fits of coughing while kneeling on the ground in front of her desk. Amoria lets down her barrier and walks over to Athena slowly as she recovers. She then instantly grabs Athena in one quick movement by the neck and pulls her up and against the desk at eye level. They were roughly the same height. Amoria then tilts her head slightly to the left and examines Athena's face.

"What's Henesys to you…?" Amoria suddenly asks in a calmer voice. A suppressed hint of anger was still laced in her voice. Tears slowly form in Athena's eyes as the oxygen gradually escapes her body. Amoria's grip on Athena's neck tightens as Athena's body scream out in pain in place of her voice. Impulses of pain were running up and down her spinal cord that was being pressed against the desk.

"WHAT'S HE TO YOU?!" Amoria screams in her face. A sudden burst of anger fills her voice as her tone changes from cold and icy to cold and demanding. She then growls and throws Athena down onto the desk, splitting the desk into pieces. Debris and paper fly from their places as the force of the weight comes crashing down on them. Her limp body gives out to the pain and the lack of oxygen and she slips into unconsciousness. Amoria takes a deep breath in and turns around to approach the statue of Henesys once more. Athena's attendants quickly rush to their master's side to help her out of the room through a door near the front. Amoria let them go. Her focus was on Henesys.

"It's been 500 years since I've parted with you…" She starts as she stands in front of the statue and its four floating rocks as barriers. She glances down at the small diamond ring on her finger.

"They will pay for what they did…" She continues as she sets her eyes on the statue's face. A small smirk begins to creep upon her face.

"Henesys, walk with me again." She says in a soft and calm tone while smiling. She then raises her right hand up right and slashes the air down sideways. Her energy claw attack makes contact with the barrier surrounding the statue and 4 bright slashes of energy appeared on the barrier before disappearing. Then, bright surges of energy pierce through the floating rocks, destroying their power to hold up the barrier. Loud snapping sounds could be heard as the energy whips the air around it. Bits of rocks start to fall to the ground as the floating stones lose their powers. Then, all four floating rocks came crashing onto the earth, shattering into thousands of pieces.

A sudden gust of wind blew into the room. Amoria's white dress flows with the wind as she watches the statue intently. As the gust of wind blew pass the statue, a bright glow began to emit from the statue. Energy bolts continue to snap around the statue as the bright glow traces the intricate outlines of the statue. Soon, the entire statue itself was being engulfed by an extremely bright light. Amoria shields her eyes with the back of her right hand and looks to the ground.

As the brightness of the glow dims, Amoria found the will to remove her hand from her eyes and look up at the sight before her. There, standing in place of the cold, stone statue, was a man. The man had his head down and eyes closed. His dark, brown hair framed his face rested on his neck. He was wearing a navy blue tuxedo-like jacket with white ruffles running down the middle. Big, gold buttons seem to hold the ruffles in place. Ruffles were flowing out of the ends of his sleeves as well. His simple navy blue pants seem to correspond with his body perfectly. Stale, white gloves and black shoes with a blue jewel encrusted in the center complete his outfit. The golden glow around him made him seem divine. His chest moves up, then down slowly, indicating that he was drawing in a breath. The scent of Athena Pierce's room fills his nostrils, but he was unable to recognize the owner of the scent.

Amoria walks closer to the man cautiously. He remains still. Glowing bubbles of energy continue to circulate around him as the initial brightness around him disappears. Amoria stands in front of him and places her delicate hands on his cheeks.

"Henesys…" She says softly as her eyes gaze upon his face. She leans in closer to his ears and pulls him in, in an embrace. She rests her head on his shoulders. He continues to stand perfectly still, eyes closed, and hands at his sides.

"My love… we are free…" Amoria whispers in his ears. Henesys' eyes slowly open to reveal eyes the color of a dark topaz. His eyes seem to depict him in a harsh trance as his mind slowly regains consciousness and control of his body. Amoria continues to embrace him and slowly closes her eyes. She feels the steady movement of Henesys' chest as he continues to breathe. Then, he slowly brings his arms up to return Amoria's embrace. He tilts his head down slightly to feel the softness of Amoria's hair against his smooth cheek. He breathes in her scent and takes a deep breath.

"Amoria…" Henesys says in a soft tone. His voice was slightly raspy for he has not spoken in 500 years. He closes his eyes again and recalls the event of 500 years ago.

It was dark and damp… the sky had started to cry again. The clouds shielded the moon from watching the horrific event. Cracks and rustles could be heard near the forest east of Henesys as two figures ran over thickets and bushes.

"Hurry Amoria! They're going to catch up!" Henesys cries out as he drags Amoria on by the hands. They were both soaking wet and their clothes were torn and dirtied from running through the forest in the rain. Their breaths were heavily labored indicating that they had been running for an extensive time now.

"I can't go on much further! My wounds were too great, we must stop and rest!" Amoria calls out as she continues to run with him, forcing her aching body to keep up with Henesys' pace. Her wet hair clings to her face and the icy cold rain clouds her vision. She keeps a tight grip on Henesys' hands as he drags her through the forest and into the village of the archers. Everyone had already fallen asleep in their warm and cozy homes in the village.

"We can rest in this village! I know where we can stay. I have a friend here that can keep up safe." Henesys calls behind him. He could feel Amoria's grip slowly loosening from her fatigue. Henesys keeps his focus as he runs down the empty streets and into a large park. Rain continues to pour from the sky as they race against their own bodies, the cold numbing their exhausted bodies, granting them the inhuman ability to keep going. Their lungs were slowly giving in, as they were forced to draw in more and more air. Amoria was on the brink of passing out from the fatigue and chilliness of the rain.

The pounding of their steps against the wet ground and the splashing of puddles as they ran awoken an old lady that lived in a rather large house accompanied by a large hall upstairs. She lights a candle to guide her down to the front door and lights a few candles to lighten up the hall as she went. Henesys and Amoria had arrived on her doorstep and was about to knock to grant permission to enter. Amoria begins to slowly fall to the ground, but Henesys grabbed her arm and pulled her back up. They were desperately gasping for air as the door opens to reveal an old lady.

"Ah… Henesys you have returned. You two look exhausted, please, come in and rest. It's warm inside." The old lady says with a smile as she grants them permission to enter the house. The room they've entered was brightly lit with candles to reveal a nice warm room with a fireplace. They take a seat on a rug on the floor in front of the fireplace, trying to stay warm. The old woman leaves to bring them some dry clothes and towels. Henesys takes Amoria in his arms to keep her warm with his body heat. The lady returns with towels and first aid first. She hands them to Henesys as he accepts them gratefully.

"You came at the wrong time, I'm afraid my granddaughter, Athena Pierce, has gone down to the harbor to pick up a package for me. She should be back in a few days. If you decide to leave early, I will let her know that you've dropped by." The old lady says before she leaves to find some dry clothes.

"I thank you. We will be going soon I'm afraid. We just need a quick place to stay and hide out for a few days while we regenerate our strength. You see, this group of powerful dark sorcerers attacked us while we were heading over to the neighboring village. They said that we were too powerful to roam around freely anymore and set out to seal us up. They also said that they've sealed up Kerning in the village of thieves, Ellinia in the village of magicians, Lith in the harbor, and my brother Perion in the village of warriors. I hope you forgive us for dropping by this late at night." Henesys explains with concern in his voice.

"No, it's alright. You have my permission to hide out here." The old lady says with a kind smile.

"We are forever grateful." Henesys says as he bows slightly. As the old woman was preparing to leave to find some dry clothes once more, a bright flash of lightning could be seen and a loud crack of thunder could be heard. Then, the doors burst open to reveal their pursuers, shrouded in shadows with a cape and hood covering their heads.

"You cannot run away forever. Now stay still and let me finish the spell." A deep voice commands. Henesys' eyes widen as he pulls his body up, grabbing Amoria by the arm as he stands on his feet. His heart rate increases once more.

"RUN!" Henesys exclaims as he pulls Amoria up to her feet and takes off. Amoria didn't even have time for a reaction as they dreadfully climbed the stairs to the second story hall. The old woman hides behind a table to keep safe. She watches as the cloaked figures walk up the stairs, following Henesys and Amoria to the hall upstairs.

Henesys and Amoria burst through the doors leading into the dimly lit hall. Flashes of lightning could be seen through the transparent dome above their heads as they ran through the hall. The cloaked figures took this chance to strike them down. The one in the front sent a dark energy ball hurling towards Henesys, knocking him to the ground and dragging Amoria with him. The energy singes his back, sending the painful message all over his body. He grunts as he gets up slowly from the floor. Amoria hides behind Henesys as he put an arm in front of her, sending the cloaked figures a message to not harm her.

"What do we do now?" Amoria asks Henesys softly. Her voice was laced with freight and worry. Henesys backs away slowly as the cloaked figures approaches them.

"Don't worry we wont hurt her I promise. This will be a painless process I guarantee it." The one in the front says in his deep voice. Henesys grits his teeth and narrows his eyes. A slightly shorter figure steps out with his hands together, forming a triangle shape with his fingers. He seem to be wearing glasses and chanting inaudiable words. A light sudden appears, forming a small circle with designs in front of the triangle.

"Do it." The taller cloaked figure says in his booming deep voice. Henesys gasps as his body scrambles to make a decision.

"NO! RUN, AMORIA!" He screams as he pushes Amoria back and away. She takes a few steps back, but her body refuses to listen to Henesys. A battle rages on between her body and her mind. Her mind and heart wanted to stay with Henesys, but her body wanted to get as far away as possible. Amoria watches in horror as a bright light fire from the cloaked figure's circle to Henesys. All Henesys could feel was an agonizing pain taking over his body. Then, it all fell dark. The last thing he heard was Amoria's voice screaming his name.


	6. Chapter 5: The Beauty of Irony

**Chapter ****5:**** The Beauty of Irony**

It was late in the afternoon and dusk was soon approaching. The clear blue sky was beginning to turn tints of pink as the sun was slowly making its way across to the ends of the sky. Athena was being treated at a neighboring house by her attendants. She begins to stir in her sleep and slowly opens her eyes. She was greeted by the sweet smile of one of her attendants.

"Uhg… where am I…? What happened?" Athena asks as she holds her head. A bandage was wrapped neatly around her temple and all the way around her head. There bandages on other parts of her body as well. A few of her attendants were in the room with her.

"You're at Pia's cottage nearby." An attendant answers as she takes a seat besides Athena's bed.

"Lady Amoria is very strong… she damaged you greatly." Another one of her attendants says with worry in her voice.

"Lady… Amoria?" Athena asks with disbelief. She grunts as she tries to sit up. Her body screams of pain from her back and her head. The attendant sitting next to her helps her sit up while another one positions a pillow comfortably behind her back.

"Yes, I heard Henesys say her name. I was standing behind the door watching everything." Another attendant says.

"Henesys? He's back? But how?" Athena bombards her attendants with questions.

"Yes, he's back; Lady Amoria destroyed the floating rocks with one strike of her energy claw attack." The attendant explains. Athena looks down at her bed sheets. Her eyes suggest she's lost in thought.

"Miss Athena, I thought you said that you two were in love. But… Henesys seems really fond of Lady Amoria." The attendant says. This broke Athena's thoughts. She looks up at the attendant. She chuckles slightly.

"Long time ago, I remember my grandmother telling me what had happened. I was too busy grieving over the loss of Henesys to really pay attention to what she was telling me. I remember her saying that he was accompanied by a woman that night. I never really took to thought who she really was. I have heard from other people of Henesys' fondness for Amoria… as well as other stories, but I chose not to believe them. I was too in love with Henesys to care." Athena explains to her attendants. Her attendants look at each other. A sad expression was plastered on Athena's face.

"Oh… I see. Please forgive me for asking. I also heard them say something about freeing the other 3 gods and the goddess Ellinia. They headed east into the hills after they left. I'm guessing they're on their way towards the forest Ellinia to free the goddess of magic…" The attendant explains. Athena was lost in thought again. She casts her eyes out the window. The sun was beginning to set, and the sky was painted a brilliant pink and orange, signaling the coming of dusk.

A few days have past since the incident between Athena Pierce and Amoria. The word has spread all over Henesys and the people often came to visit Athena to make sure she was alright. The brought her many gifts and words of comfort. Those wanting to become a bowman would have to wait until Athena fully recovered from her wounds. They were greatly saddened. Word has also spread of Amoria's appearance and Henesys' return across the busy city as people started to put two and two together. It hasn't yet reached the other cities however.

The streets of Henesys were still as busy as ever. Everyone still went about their businesses, but they had a new topic to talk about in their daily rituals of gossip.

"Hey have you heard? Athena Pierce got beaten up pretty badly the other day." A traveler says as he accompanies another traveler.

"Yeah I've heard, the whole entire town's been talking about it. Who could have done it? We might have something pretty serious on our hands." The other traveler replies as he lifts his finger to his chin.

"I heard it was the goddess Amoria. I also heard that she released Henesys from the statue or something. This is pretty interesting." The first traveler says. The other traveler nods in agreement as they continued down the street. They disappear into a crowd of people.

Similar conversations were breaking out all over the city of Henesys.

"How could the Goddess of Love do this to Athena? She IS the goddess of Love after all! That is just so ironic!" A young girl squeals as she converses with a friend in a busy park located at the center of the city.

"Yeah I know! I heard from my boyfriend that they fought over Henesys or something!" The other girl replies.

"Wow, so they fought over a guy? I could never imagine neither of them doing that. And I can't believe that Amoria is real! I thought she was only a figure in children's storybooks!" The girl squeals as her jaw drops. The other girl agrees.

The day continued on in a rather calm demeanor as the sun slowly crosses across the blue sky, soon finding itself resting atop the hills east of Henesys. The sky was beginning to turn a bright orange as dusk approaches, signaling the start of a new night. A few clouds continue to float around the skies, desperately trying to keep up with the movement of the wind. The snail monsters in the fields were finding refuge under bushes and small cracks, while the shrooms ran about trying to find a cool tree to settle in for the approaching night. The green slimes hopped about freely, finding refuge in small clearings and bundling up with other green slimes to keep warm. The only monsters still roaming about were the pigs. They continue to search for food and entertainment past dusk and into the dark night sky.

The night was beautiful again. Millions and billions of stars were planted in a dark blue velvet in the heavens, their bright light glistening upon the world. The light of the moon guided the way of many travelers as they tried to find a place to rest and settle in for the night. The pigs were still awake however and they have decided to take a stroll under the stars. A particular group of 4 pigs were running about on the road, jumping on top of each other as they rolled around on the dirt road. They seemed content, happy, and enjoying what life was giving them.

_Life…_

_I have been given a second chance in life. I do not wish for it to go to waste. I__ shall enjoy this blessing__, and punish those who abuse it…__ and anyone else that stands in my way._

Amoria's light footsteps matched Henesys' powerful steps as they walk under the light of the moon, side by side. Amoria's silky white dress ruffles slightly in the passing wind as she takes each step forward, her dress outlining her slender body. That same wind sent tingles down Henesys' spine as it brushes pass his face. Their faces and expressions depicted the determination in their hearts to free the others that had suffered their fate and rain vengeance upon the givers of that fate.

The 4 pigs continue to roll around the dry dirt as they enjoyed each other's company, squealing and oinking as if they were carefree.

_Tap, tap, tap, __tap_

The slow rhythms of footsteps by Amoria and Henesys seem to ring in perfect unison as they approached down the road. The sense of the pigs instantly heightened as they discontinued their rolling in the dirt and brought their noses to the ground, taking in the scents. One of the 4 pigs had a ribbon around its neck, indicating that it was the stronger of the bunch, and stood in front of the other 3, vowing to protect them with its life. The ribboned pig growls deeply in its throat as Amoria and Henesys approach, sending a threat signal to drive them away to keep its friends safe. The other 3 follow its growl by sending growls of their own. It was their instinct after all, to protect their space from intruders and to defend themselves. Amoria and Henesys heed no attention to the threats and continued walking as if the pigs were considered insignificant.

The pig continues to growl deeply as Amoria and Henesys ventures even closer. The line was drawn when Henesys and Amoria came within yards of the growling pigs. The pigs ran full speed into a charge and jumps up before they land their attack on the intruders. The dust began to kick up as their small hooves trampled over them. Amoria and Henesys stop in their tracks.

Henesys takes a deep breath and holds out his left hand. As he summons his bow, a bright yellow light surrounds his hand and a golden colored bow materializes in his hand. As the light diminishes he takes hold of the bow and turns it upright, then he pulls the string back, and instantly, 4 arrows made of fire begins to form. He aims his bow and arrow up towards the pigs and prepares to launch his attack. He narrows his eyes to take aim.

Amoria's gaze was rested upon Henesys' features; the quickness of his summoning of his bow, his swift body movements as he takes a step back to take aim, his expression while trying to protect someone important to him. The scene before her seems to freeze in motion for a while as her focus was entirely on him.

Henesys wastes no further time as he releases his arrow. A sparkling trail of light follows the arrows as it heads straight for its target. The flaming arrows all hit its mark, earning agonizing cries from the pigs as the flames incinerated their bodies. They were turned into nothing but ashes. Only the small ribbon from the ribboned pig remained, sitting on the ground as the wind carries it away. Henesys smirks at his kill and begins to lower his bow. A tiny gust of wind blows pass Henesys and ruffles through his brown hair. Amoria smiles slightly and continues to walk down the road. Henesys follows and walks next to her, side by side. The golden bow slowly begins to disappear in his left hand as they walked.

The stars in the sky continue to twinkle down on them, displaying their beauty as if they were attempting to capture the hearts of their gazers. The ankle length grass grew on the sides of the road and swayed majestically under the moonlight. Dust and dirty seldom kicked up as gusts of wind pushes them up and off the ground. The nearby trees clung onto their leaves as the wind attempts to carry them away. It was a calm, beautiful night.

Henesys and Amoria continue to stroll across the hills under the moonlight. Their light footsteps making a slight _crunch_ noise as it comes in contact with the dry dirt.

"So what do we do after we free everyone?" Amoria asks Henesys, breaking the silence and stillness of the night. Henesys looks at her and smiles. They continue to walk down the road.

"Simple. We rain our vengeance down upon those we had sealed us up." Henesys replies with a smirk as he turns his attention back to the road. Amoria sighs slightly and closes her eyes for a moment. She stops walking.

"Then what…? Society would never accept us back." Amoria says in a worried tone. She casts her eyes downward and onto the ground. Sadness had found its way upon her face. Henesys stops and turns around. His gaze settles upon her face. He takes a few steps towards her reaches over to stroke her cheeks with the back of his hand. He then lifts her chin up with his index finger and gazes into her light hazel eyes.

"If society refuses to accept us, then we shall live without it. This is our second chance in life and I will enjoy every second of it. If anyone is to stand in our way, then I shall slaughter them." Henesys says softly, waiting for those words to process in Amoria's mind. The sadness seems to slowly slip away from her gaze, indicating that she had understood. She smiles slightly.

_I'm glad…_

Henesys returns her smile with a smile of his own, a smile that was enough to melt the heart any woman. He slowly leans in and brushes his lips against hers, sending warmth into his heart and assurance to his words. Amoria's heart flutters and instantly feels the assurance to his words. They both close their eyes to enjoy this moment of happiness. She caresses his cheek with her hand and returns his kiss. A shot of warmth enters her heart, knowing that Henesys did indeed love her, and cared for her.

She breaks the kiss and pulls him into a tight embrace. She rests her head on his shoulders and closes her eyes. He too, pulls her in a tight embrace, resting his cheek against the top of her head. He draws a slow breath in, taking in her captivating scent.

_The scent of cherry blossoms_…

"I love you." She whispers as she rests her forehead against his neck.

"I love you too." He says as he stares off into space. Amoria could feel the steady movements of his chest as he breathes, indicating his calmness. She then lifts her head up, which also causes Henesys to lift his head up, and she gazes intently into his dark topaz colored eyes.

"You will never leave me right?" Amoria asks suddenly as she pouts slightly. This was no ordinary question. She wasn't expecting an ordinary answer. She was merely testing Henesys' loyalty to her. The pout was meant to throw him off. Henesys smiles as he takes hold of Amoria's hand. He brings their hands in front of them, their diamond rings glistening in the moonlight.

_Their engagement rings…_

"The day I leave you will be the day when our diamond rings shatter into exactly a million pieces." Henesys says cleverly. Amoria smiles. Henesys was a clever man. Amoria's tests could never throw him off. He knew exactly how to answer them. He always knew what to say and when to say it. Capturing hearts with his words was no problem to him at all.

_Maybe that's why he's so __irresistible__…_

The moon continued to shine its rays upon them, casting shadows around their figures. The wind was as calm as the night itself, sending a blissful sensation to the environment around it. Sleep had captured the bodies of the non-nocturnal creatures, while some continued to strive to stay awake. The night became calm again. The moon was slowly crossing the night sky in place of the daytime sun. Shadows were being casted around the trees in the rain forest east of Henesys, forming ominous sensations in the area.

The rain forest east of Henesys leads into a small valley at the edge of the forest of Ellinia. At the end of that valley sat the enormous trees belonging to the forest south of Ellinia. The morning dew was just beginning to collect at the delicate greenery located on the trees as dawn drew nearer. Light seemed to have a hard time piercing through the thick canopy at the top of the forest, making the forest floor seem extra gloomy and damp. The beautiful pigment of green seems to shine under the small amounts of light seeping through the canopy.

Navigation was quite difficult around the forest. Climbing on the vines caused blisters and the height of the treetops often made travelers queasy. Monsters seldom attacked atop the vines, sending you back down to the ground, causing a great amount of damage. Falling from the tree tops did quite a lot of damage as well. Inexperienced travelers often have a great amount of difficulty navigating the tough terrain, usually finding themselves lost, or attacked by the more powerful monsters. Ellinia was definitely not for the faint of heart.

Ellinia is a built on the many tall trees deep in the forest of Ellinia. Although it is located in a dangerous location, the population of this city remains steady, and is constantly growing. People lived in tree houses built on the strong and sturdy trees in the city. Residential homes were built all around the city, and the people were able to enjoy the great atmosphere that was provided. At the very top of the city, an old library that kept records of everything, including the history of the land, housed a wise and powerful magician named Grendel. Warriors striving to become magicians would visit him to gain the skills necessary to become great magicians. The city had a relatively nice atmosphere.

The residents living in the city of Ellinia often helped strangled travelers cross through the forest safely, guiding them through the harsh terrain. They would provide them with first aid if the traveler was injured, food if the traveler was starving, and aid if the traveler was attacked by a monster. The people in this area were unusually intelligent, probably from learning from Grendel, the wise and powerful magician. Grendel would only bless the intelligent with skills of the magician after all.

Warriors came often to seek out Grendel to learn the skills of the magician. They would find him floating in his large library, constantly meditating to preserve his life. Time took its toll on Grendel and his level of intellect increased his aging quite a bit. In reality, Grendel was younger than Athena Pierce, though he seems much older. He was the first and only son of the great goddess Ellinia, the goddess of Magic. The origins of his father were unknown… unknown to him at least. The statue containing her soul lies on the wooden floor of Grendel's library, glistening in beauty from the small rays of light shining through Grendel's glass windows.

The stone statue depicted a beautiful maiden, with long hair that reached down to her lower back and pieces that fell onto her face. Her eyes were closed and her hands were in a position in front of her chest as if she was summoning some unknown power. Her fingers formed a triangle and her expression seemed exasperated. The intricate outlines of her wardrobe portrayed a long layered robe with high slits and a bow that tied in the back. An Infinium Circlet crowns her forehead, making her seem majestic. She was wearing gloves with intricate designs and shoes that fit her perfectly. Four golden floating rocks surround the beautiful statue, emitting an invisible barrier to keep the goddess locked up inside.

The first morning rays were shining through the glass windows atop Grendel's library. Grendel was busy meditation as always. The statue glittered majestically as the rays lightly tapped around it. Warriors from all over would soon seek out Grendel to learn the ways of a magician and gain incredible amounts of intellect. The first this morning seemed to be a young girl with bown edgy-like hair. Her eyes showed great potential and self assurance.

"Grendel the very wise, I would like to become a magician. I have studied hard to gain enough intelligence to meet your requirements to become a magician." The young girl pipes up in her squeaky voice. A bright light forms around Grendel as he begins to speak.

"Are you really sure you want to become a magician? This job requires great skill in controling one's own mind, body, and soul together as one. Do you feel that you are truly ready?" Grendel asks wisely. The girl thinks for a moment. Then nods in assurance with a small smile.

"Very well then. I now grant you the powers of a magician. Use them wisely, never use them for evil." Grendel says in a booming voice that filled the whole entire library. A bright light begins to shine around the young girl as Grendel waves his hand in her direction. She instantly feels the intellect and power serging through her mind and body as the powers of the magician is being transferred to her. After it was all over, the light dims and a book was left floating in front of her.

"These will be your skills. Learn and train hard to become a strong magician." Were Grendel's last words before the light around him stops shining. The young girl takes hold of the book and opens it. The book glitters as she slowly skims around the first pages.

"I thank you Grendel." She says as she bows and she takes her leave. Outside, where the light was brighter, she continues to read the book. She then closes the book and begins her descend down the many vines to a more suitable location to read and study more to learn her first skill. She finds a small clearing near Betty the researcher's house and takes a seat to begin her study.

**Rule #1:** Purchase a wand.

_Aw Crap._

She thinks to herself as she reads. She immediately closes her book shut and sighs. She leans back and gazes up above her at the thick canopy of leaves and closes her eyes. This was going to be one long journey. Her mind was set at an ease until footsteps were heard. The crushing of leaves beneath each step was made apparent. She opens her eyes and gazes upon the intruder… err… intruders. A small gust of wind blows pass her as she stands up. Her curious eyes linger in the direction of the noise, waiting for the intruder to appear through the vines nearby.

From behind a thick vine appeared the most beautiful man the young girl had ever laid eyes upon. His brown hair and dark topaz colored eyes matched him perfectly. His body was well built and his clothes were neat and tidied. Her heart flutters as he made his way from the vines and towards her. She gazes at him with deep sparkles in her eyes, almost in a complete trance at his beauty. He on the other hand paid absolutely no attention to her, and instead, walked right past her without acknowledging her presence.

_He didn't even glance at me…_

The flutters in her heart suddenly turn into deep knots as her eyes falters. A small rustle in the same vines catches her attention once more. A small spark of hope glints in her eyes as she looks up. Her hopes were once again shattered when a woman appeared through the vines. She was beautiful as well. With long golden hair and a long, silk dress with gold armor plates. The woman glances at the young girl standing in the clearing then diverts her attention back to the man walking ahead. Her gracefulness and beauty matched his. The young girl sighs and walks in the opposite direction, disappearing through the vines.

Grendel was currently still meditating in his huge library. His senses quickly tingle as someone approaches… more like more than one person. He immediately senses the danger and heightens his magic abilities to increase his strength. These were no ordinary strangers. He deploys a strong barrier with his magic and waits for the intruders to enter. As if on queue, the wooden doors to his grand library spring open with a slam and a powerful gust of wind follows. Dust and papers were blown out of place as wind travels around the library, looking for an escape.

Grendel directs his eyes downward and meets the dark topaz colored eyes of the intruder. The intruder had a stern look on his face and he too, engages in the stare-down. The stare-down breaks as another footstep was heard. Cold hard golden slippers seem to knock on the wood beneath it as a woman with golden hair approaches and stands next to the man with dark topaz colored eyes. The man diverts his gaze beneath Grendel and onto the stone statue ahead. His eyes soften slightly. Grendel notices this and lowers himself until he was merely floating inches above the ground.

"You are going nowhere near that statue." Grendel says in his wise voice. The man gazes into the eyes of Grendel once again, almost as if they were communicating through stares. Grendel tights his grip on his wooden staff and increases the strength of his barrier. Sparks began to fly from the ground as the power of the barrier intensifies. The wooden floor trembles at the power of Grendel the Really Old. The man's expression remains indifferent. He takes a step towards the barrier and holds out his left hand with his palms facing down. A bright light begins to form from underneath his hand, and soon materializes into a golden bow. He grabs hold of the golden bow and brings it to his side. He narrows his eyes.

"Move." Was the only word he uttered before he holds up his bow in a ready position and draws an arrow made of energy. The arrow rested in between his right index and middle finger. He tilts his head to the right slightly and takes aim. A chill runs down Grendel's spine as he prepares for the attack. He was pretty sure his barrier could block any attack sent towards him. Pretty sure…

The man scoffs and releases the arrow. At the moment of release, great amounts of energy flares around him, enhancing the power of his attack. The energy glows a bright yellow as it slices through the air towards the barrier. Grendel takes a deep breath and prepares to block the attack if the energy arrow was able to pierce through his barrier. A trail of yellow light follows behind the arrow as it pierces through the barrier, dissipating the strong barrier into nothing more than air. Grendel gasps and strikes the energy arrow with his wooden staff, sending the arrow off course and onto a nearby wooden bookshelf. The searing energy of the arrow burns a part of the wooden staff and a hole in the bookcase. The arrow then disappears into thin air.

The man lowers his bow and glares at Grendel. Grendel lowers himself to the ground as his feet touch the wooden floor. He stables himself after not touching the floor for some time now, and shifts his staff in front of him.

_This man… something about him is not quite right… yet he's so familiar…_

Thoughts strangle Grendel's mind as he continues to gaze into the dark topaz eyes of Henesys. Henesys lets out a scowl on his face as he positions his bow and summons another energy arrow. He pulls the energy arrow back with his pale white gloves and takes aim. In response, Grendel holds his staff in defense position in front of him. He then closes his eyes and mutters a chant to himself. Then, a pink cube with intricate designs made of energy appears in front of him. Sparks of energy begin to fly around him as he completes the chant. The ground trembles once again at Grendel's power.

Henesys releases himself from his aim and gazes at Grendel. His curious state made him vulnerable and much to his dismay, a blinding stream of light emitted from the pink cube pierces through him before he had time to react. Hoards of pink colored energy fly around him as he feels his body slowly weaken. His energy arrow dissipates and his golden bow drops to the ground and vanishes. His holds his head with his hands as he resists the restraint and falls to the ground on his knees. He grunts at this restraint and tries to release himself but to no avail. His energy was being sealed up inside him and he was powerless to stop it.

Amoria takes a few steps back as a surprised gasp escapes her lips. She watches in horror as Henesys drops to the ground on his knees and holding his head. She could feel his energy slowly slip away from him. Her body completely froze, unable to follow the commands the brain was sending.

_No… not again._

She mutters to herself. Her eyes were widened at the sight before her, as painful memories surges through her mind, infiltrating her every thought. Her breath quickens with her heart as she clenches her fists. An angry scowl stealthily creeps upon her face.

"I WILL NOT LET YOU HURT HIM!" She screams furiously at Grendel as she lifts her hand up high above her head. At that moment, enormous amounts of energy surges through the wooden floor, piercing the cold surface, and snaking its way towards Grendel. The energy hits Grendel dead on, incinerating his wooden staff, and knocking him off his feet and onto the ground a few feet away. Dust and debris spews everywhere.

When the dust cleared, everything was out of place. Books were off the shelves, papers were all over the floor, and the floor itself was damaged so greatly that the tree beneath it was visible. Amoria breathes heavily from her sudden surge of anger and fear of losing Henesys and waits for her mind to catch up to what was happening. Grendel was on the broken wooden floor unconscious, and Henesys was still on his knees catching his breath. Amoria runs to his side and kneels down beside him. She looks at him with an extremely worried expression.

"Don't worry, I'm alright." He says with a kind smile, answering the question that was about to leave her tongue. She sighs in relief as she holds him in an embrace, resting her head on his shoulders. Henesys' expression softens as he begins to stand up. Once at his feet, he dusts off his clothes, removing the traces of dirt lingering on his fancy outfit. Amoria stares at him in relief as she too, gets up and dusts herself off.

Henesys' attention turns to the stone statue laden with dust and beings to approach it. He took slow steps, as if approaching something carefully with great value. His eyes become entranced as he gazes upon the maiden's stone face. A small smile creeps up upon his lips as he approaches closer. Amoria remains still as she casts her eyes away, her expression somewhat falter. Grendel was on the floor half conscious and still unable to move his aching body. He follows Henesys' every movement with his eyes.

_This man… he's… my… father…_

Was the last thought he had before he completely passes out again. Henesys was soon in front of the barrier projected by the 4 floating stones that guards the statue. He holds out his left hand once again and summons his golden bow. A bright light materializes into a bow beneath his hands as he grabs hold of it and holds it in a ready position. He summons an energy arrow and draws it back, taking aim straight for the statue. The arrow begins to glow a bright blue as waves of energy circles around the arrow. He narrows his eyes and releases the arrow. The rebound of the energy string on the bow thrusts the arrow forward, piercing the barrier and through the statue to the other side. The blue arrow causes no harm to the statue, but dissipates the barrier around it. The 4 floating stones instantly start to crumble bit by bit and soon, they crash onto the ground into millions of pieces. Henesys lowers his bow and it slowly begins to vanish. His eyes were fixed upon the statue's exasperated expression.

Sparks of energy begins to fly around the stone statue as large cracks starts to form all over her body. The snapping of energy lit up the entire room and the sudden trembling signaled the coming of something powerful. More books began to fall from the bookcases as the ground continues to tremble. Henesys takes a step back to keep his footing and Amoria holds onto the wall to keep her balance. Then the trembling stops and then an extremely bright light began to emit from the large cracks on the statue. Henesys shields his eyes with the back of his hand and Amoria looks away with her eyes closed. The cracks on the statue increases in size and the bright light engulfs the entire stone surface. Blasts of green energy spirals around the statue, tearing away the stone, bit by bit.

As the light and the energy slowly dims, the floating figure of a woman becomes visible in place of the stone statue. Her expression was calm and blissful. Her eyes were closed and her arms were down at her side. Her skin was a soft porcelain color, and her long black hair ruffled behind her. Her body was encased in a silky blue robe with intricate gold designs on the sides, and a slit from her left side ran up her leg to her thigh, showing the silk white pants underneath. A yellow sash was tied at her waist to form a nice bow from behind. The robe was sleeveless, the top tied around her neck like a halter top, revealing her back. Unattached yellow sleeves adorn her arms and hang loosely like the sleeves of a kimono. Her outfit was simple yet intricate at the same time, very much like the Requierre robes worn by the more powerful female magicians. A golden Infinium circlet with a blue jewel engraved on the center crowns her forehead, a bright contrast to her dark hair color. Her facial expression suggested that she was slightly older than Amoria, and probably wiser.

Henesys gazes upon her with his dark topaz colored eyes and searches her face for any signs of consciousness. He takes a step forward towards her to test her ability to sense him. As soon as he takes that step, her eyes shoot open to reveal a pupiless glowing blue color. The exasperated expression returns to her face as she sends a blast of energy with her mind towards Henesys. Papers and dust blew in the direction of the weak attack. Henesys puts his arms in a defense position in front of him and takes the blow. The blast of energy passes Henesys without harming him. As the papers and dust settles down, Henesys removes his arms from in front of his head and glances at the woman before him.

"Ellinia…" He calls out her name softly. He takes a few more steps forward cautiously, just in case she decides to send another wave of energy at him with her mind. Amoria stands by the entrance of the library and watches. A deep knot begins to form at her throat as she observes Henesys' movements. Henesys continues to slowly trek towards Ellinia, in hopes of bringing her mind to full consciousness. Ellinia remains still as she slowly lowers herself to the ground. Her silky shoes gentle taps the wooden floor as her body weight shifts on the soles. Henesys approaches her and stands in front of her. He was only mere inches taller than she was. His eyes completely soften as he closes them and pulls her in an embrace. Ellinia continues to show no signs of movement as her glowing pupiless eyes slowly lose its glow, revealing dark blue eyes. Henesys pulls her into a tighter embrace and rests his forehead upon hers. He could feel her warm breath against his face as she slowly draws each breath in. Soon, she regains control of her body and returns Henesys' embrace.

A single tear slid down Amoria's cheek as she casts her eyes away. She could feel her whole entire world crashing down on her all at once. She tightens her fists in betrayal. The knot in her throat seems to turn into stone as an imaginary knife stabs through her heart. This painful sensation she was feeling was absolutely indescribable. She could take it no longer as she turns away and walks out the library.

_I should have known…_

She thinks to herself as she steps outside. The afternoon sun was just approaching and the rays of light seeping through the thick canopy increases. Amoria continues to stare at the green leaves below her that was holding her up and tries to keep all the pain inside her. Her expression remains cold and emotionless as a few more tears found their exit. They slid down her cheeks and off her chin. Her free tears glisten and sparkle as they pass the rays of light and onto the tree platform she was standing on. She takes a few steps forward towards the edge of the platform and takes a seat. Her feet dangle over the edge of the platform. She takes a quick glance below the edge and notices that she was extremely high up in the air, but there were other tree platforms everywhere that made suicide impossible. Not that she was thinking suicide at all.

She takes a deep breath and sighs. She averts her eyes down and observes some fairies floating around, playing with other fairies. Her tear-stained cheeks soon dry up in the warm afternoon sun. Her heart seem to dry up along with it.

_Why does it have to hurt so much…?_

The sound of footsteps could be heard behind her as Henesys emerges with Ellinia. Amoria tightens her fists against the cold wooden platform; her face expression remains emotionless, showing absolutely no signs of pain or heartbrokenness. The pair approaches her slowly from behind. A small gust of wind blows pass them, ruffling their hair in that same direction.

"Let's be off to free Perion. We must not waste time." Henesys says as he stops a few yards behind Amoria. Ellinia glares at the back of Amoria's head and pulls Henesys into an embrace. This catches Henesys by surprise as he takes a few moments to register what Ellinia was doing. A small gasp escapes his lips. Ellinia digs her face onto the side of his neck and takes a slow breath in, taking in his scent. Henesys puts his arms around her and half-heartedly returns her embrace.

"I'm afraid I won't be joining to free Perion at the moment." Ellinia states as she smirks slightly. Henesys releases her and stares at her, his eyes asking the questions.

"I still have some business to take care of here. Plus, I have to nurse my _son_'s wounds seeing as _how he was brutally battered_." She puts emphasis on the word 'son' and directs the last part of her sentence towards Amoria. She continues to glare at the back of Amoria's head. Amoria's eyes widen as she takes shallow breaths to cope with her surprise. Henesys was equally as shocked as his eyes widen in surprise.

"Your…son…?" He stutters slightly as he seems to choke on those words. Ellinia glances back at Henesys seductively and grabs hold of his hands. She smiles a seductive smile.

"Yes. Our son." She puts emphasis on the word 'our' just loud enough for Amoria to hear. She shifts her eyes towards Amoria's direction. Amoria's fists tighten even more as her fingernails dig deeper into her palm. Her shallow breaths suggested that she was trying to suppress her reaction to that comment. She bites her lower lip to divert her attention to the physical pain instead of the emotional pain to keep more tears from rolling down her face.

Henesys' reaction was more of a shock rather than anger, betrayal, hurt, and everything in that category. For once, he couldn't find the right words to say, he didn't even know how to begin to explain that to Amoria. He was still in the process of finding the right words to say for this particular moment. What else can you say when you're in a position like this?

Ellinia smirks and pulls Henesys closer to her, then plants her lips upon his. Henesys' eyes widen and his mind screams at him to push her away, but he couldn't find the will to push her back. His body becomes enslaved to her and her passionate kiss, unable to break free. He tries hard to not give into her, but fails as he returns the kiss. Ellinia moans in delight.

That was it. Amoria couldn't take it anymore. She pushes herself off the edge of the platform and lands on a lower platform gracefully. She takes a deep breath to try to keep that feel of anger and betrayal from surfacing. She then proceeds to lowering herself from the vines in the direction of the Northern Forest. She takes a seat on a nearby branch and waits for Henesys to finish up so that they could continue to free Perion. She glances up at the thick canopy above and looks through an opening. The sky was a light blue today. She then pulls her knees to her chest and rests her head on them. Her long, white silk-like dress dangles from the thick tree branch around her.

_Why did it have to be this way__…_

Her mind begins to wander and soon she fell into the pit of self doubt and insecurity. She closes her eyes and continues to rest her head on her knees.

_It'll be okay, he must have reasons to do the things he __do__… right…?_

She soon falls past the pit of self doubt and insecurity and into the pit of dishonesty to herself… and benefit of the doubt in his case. In a way, she was still a little kid inside… not wanting to grow up or face reality as it was. Maybe that was her weakness. A single tear slides down her cheek once more. She hugs her knees closer to her chest and falls into a deep sleep. The rays of the afternoon sun reflect off her beautiful skin, making it shimmer in the light. One glance and you could tell for sure she was not a normal warrior.

The sleep was rather a peaceful one, where her aching heart could rest and her mind at ease. A comforting presence seems to be all around her, making her body relax. Her mind registers this familiar presence and slowly she was awaken from her peaceful sleep, only to feel someone carrying her. She opens her eyes half way and takes a deep breath to inhale his captivating scent, only to close them again. She smiles to herself as she feels him nudge her affectionately then proceeds to go back to sleep.

_Maybe I was wrong… he does love me after all._

Henesys stands at the edge of the Northern Forest of Ellinia and gazes at the approaching dusk creeping above the rocky mountains of Perion. The brilliant swirls of pink and yellow was spreading fast. A light gust of wind blows pass Henesys as he lifts his head up to allow the wind to tease his hair. He then glances at Amoria as she's sleeping peacefully and smiles to himself.

_I'm sorry… _

_I love __You_


	7. Chapter 6: Perion, the Greatest of All

**Chapter ****6: ****Perion, the Greatest of All Warriors**

Deep flickers of orange lit up the dark night sky as snaps of wood could be faintly heard. The stars once again shone brightly as they were enveloped in the dark velvet sky. The glowing embers gave off light that lit up the small clearing that housed the refugees. Along with light, the embers also gave heat. The night air was frigid, and the chilly winds didn't help much either. There were no signs of lush green plant life anywhere. All there were were rocks, more rocks, and more rocky mountains. The mountains were in a relatively high elevation, and the climate was constantly misty and cloudy. The rocky mountains east of Perion were quite dangerous to travel in.

The burning wood cracks once more as a small stick pokes at it. The burning embers illuminated the surrounding, casting shadows on the hard, rocky ground. The flaming embers emitted an orange light that reflected off the soft, brown hair of one of its refugees. Its light flickers in the deep topaz colored eyes of the observer as it provides its refugees with heat.

A faint groan could be heard as the other refugee stirs in her sleep. The first refugee gently strokes her cheek as she continues to sleep on his lap. He drapes his navy blue tuxedo-like jacket over her to keep her warm. He continues to glance down at her while she slumbers, a deep thought running through his mind. He reaches down once again to free her face from the stray strands of hair that seem to have covered her face. He then goes back to softly stroking her cheek.

Low growls and roars could be heard as echoes from far away. It was late at night and the moon was shining high up in the sky. It slowly travels across the sky as time passes, eventually being outshined by the coming of dawn. The first traces of dawn seem to awaken the many monsters that resided in the vast mountains. They let out their powerful roars and howls as they carry on their day. Small traces of moisture could be felt in the air. The fog that resides high on the mountains became increasingly thick. Not even the brightness of the peeping sun above the mountain tops could penetrate through it.

Near the base of the rocky mountains the small city of Perion was just beginning to awaken. The mornings were still and quiet, and the only sounds made were the soft murmurs of the people as they begin their day. The people living in the eerie city lived in huts, modeled after the first tribe that settled in the area. Their wardrobes were drastically different than those of anywhere else. They consisted of monster skins and what ever they could find in the mountains. The isolation of their city deep in the rocky mountains cut off the evolution that had occurred in all the other cities. The only people going in and out of the city were travelers and warriors that were able to navigate their way into the city. The residents rarely left their mountain, believing that the god of strength would be angry at them and punish them.

The overseer of the city of Perion is Dances with Balrog. He is the oldest, the wisest, and the strongest in the city. His ancestors were the ones that first settled in the area, and they were very strong. Many of them trained deep in the canyons and their strength grew. Dances with Balrog also trained hard in his youth, and now, he has chosen to pass on bits of his power to the travelers that have chosen the path of a warrior.

Dances of the Balrog spends his day sitting on the ground with his eyes closed and muttering small prayers in front of a fire. He faces a huge stone statue that depicted a strong, male warrior in a splendid suit of armor and a powerful looking sword in a fighting stance. Four golden colored stone were floating around the statue, creating an invisible barrier that seems to lock the statue in place. The expression of the statue portrayed the male in a battle cry. His sword was raised high into the air and his shield close to his side. The statue looked like it could come alive at any moment.

The early afternoon sun had begun to make its appearance in its place in the sky; its rays warming up the cold, desolate mountains. Henesys and Amoria had soon made their way to the almost hidden city at the base of the canyon. The paths were narrow and often dangerous as one wrong step would send you hurling down the canyon. Henesys' skillful navigation had managed to get them safely to the city. The city was full of life as residents residing in the city began their everyday work.

Strange glances were being thrown at Henesys and Amoria as they passed by. Amoria glances back at them slightly then returns her gaze to the road, slightly dismayed at the difference of culture that she has yet to get use to. The small village she was used to had a blissful atmosphere, while the city before her displayed primitive atmospheres. After all, how can anyone be used to seeing bones and skulls of monsters everywhere they look?

"This way." Henesys directs Amoria higher and higher up the mountain with a gesture from his hand. Stone steps became their stairway up to Perion's lair. Light gusts of wind that blew through the canyon kicked up bits of sand and dust on their path. Their hair swayed back and forth as the wind passes through them. The sound of crushing sand was made as their feet made contact with the ground. The path ahead of them begins so narrow slightly, so Henesys slows down and walks behind Amoria. Perion's lair was at the top of the canyon.

_It is time…_

Dances of Balrog opens his eyes as his meditative state becomes broken. He is still seated on the ground in front of the large statue with his hands in a meditative position. His wise expression remains stern and direct as he rises from the ground with his hands at his side. His chief hat ruffles as the big metal door creates wind while opening. Light began to instantly rush in, slightly blinding him for a moment, for he has not seen the light of day for a very long time. He squints his eyes to adjust to the oncoming light. As his eyes become adjusted, he gazes upon the two figures standing in front of the light. The taller man was wearing a fancy tuxedo like suit and had brown hair and deep, topaz colored eyes. The woman besides him was wearing a long, white dress adorned with gold plates, and had long, golden hair and captivating hazel colored eyes.

Henesys takes a step forward with his hands in his pockets. The sound of grinding sand was made as his shoes made contact with the ground. Amoria stays by the door.

"Move aside if you don't want to get hurt." Henesys says coldly, his expression remains indifferent. Dances of Balrog chuckles slightly. This irritated Henesys. His expression quickly expresses it as he growls to himself.

"I see nothing funny." He says now clearly irritated. Dances of Balrog returns his chuckle to a smile.

"You don't understand. I've been waiting for this moment all my life." Dances of Balrog begins. His voice was deep and calm.

"Continue." Henesys commands. Dances of Balrog nods. He puts his hands behind his back and interlocks them. He then turns around and stares at the statue while he talks.

"500 Years ago, Perion, the greatest of all warriors became sealed into a statue like this. I was an extremely young child back then, and it became my family's duty to protect it, so that no harm would fall upon it. According to a legacy, Perion will be set free only if his own kin returns for him. Then he will rule and guide us once again and our culture will once again flourish like it once had. You are his kin are you not? I sense a familiar aura surrounding you, an aura similar to that of Perion's. Do not be alarmed, I have kept his spirit high." Dances of Balrog says wisely. Henesys gives one nod.

"Then I shall glad fully step aside and let you return our leader to this word." Dances of Balrog says as he moves aside. Henesys narrows his eyes, trying to find truth in what he had said. But either way, he moved aside, so there was no threat whatsoever.

Dances of Balrog watches as Henesys approaches the statue of Perion. Henesys stops short a few yards in front of the statue, where an invisible barrier was being held up. Sparks of energy began to fly back and forth; from Henesys to the barrier, and back. His dark topaz eyes became focused on the statue as the sparks of energy got stronger and stronger. Bright, glowing snaps of energy branches around him from the barrier. Then, one powerful surge of energy crashes straight into the barrier from Henesys, creating a big explosion. Bits of debris and rocks flew in all directions. Amoria and Dances of Balrog shield themselves from the explosion by turning around and protecting their heads.

When the smoke and debris clear, they glance back at the scene before them. In place of the stone statue was a man. He had long, black hair that reached his mid back that was tied in a low ponytail. Random strands framed his delicate face. He too, was handsome, but not as equally handsome as his older brother. He was wearing a coat of splendid chainmail and armor with a sword at his side. He was not wearing a helmet however. His brown boots and gloves matched perfectly and his pants were a perfect fit. His eyes were closed and his silhouette glowed like the afternoon sun.

"Brother." Henesys says as he takes his right hand out from his pocket. He waits for a response.

Moments later, Perion's eyes open to reveal a deep, topaz color; a complete contrast with his long, dark hair. A silent staring contest took place between them as Perion slowly regains consciousness and control over his thoughts.

"Brother…" He responds. His voice was still slightly raspy, for he has not spoken for a very long time. He steps down from the platform where the statue used to be and approaches Henesys. Henesys smirks and gives Perion a brotherly embrace, for they have not seen each other in such a long time. They were always very close, and they trusted each other completely. They rarely fought over disputes and always supported each other. Their brotherly bond increased their strength and will to motivate their actions.

During their embrace, Perion glances over the shoulder of Henesys at Amoria. He smiles warmly at her. Amoria was slightly taken back as she returns the smile half heartedly. As Henesys and Perion break their brotherly embrace, Amoria looks toward the ground. Henesys then begins to tell Perion the events that led up to now.

"Kerning shall be the next to be freed. Come, little brother, and join me on this crusade to seek revenge upon the bastards that sealed us up inside those statues." Henesys says as he extends out his right hand, offering for Perion to join them. He glances at Henesys' white gloved hand, then up at Amoria. His expression falters.

"I'm afraid I cannot join you as of yet. I have to replenish the culture of these people and guide them. I do wish you the best, big brother." Perion says modestly as he declines Henesys' offer. Henesys takes a deep breath in.

"Very well then. I shall keep you updated." He says as he turns around, ready to leave.

"I would like that, big brother. Please do." Perion says as he nods his head. Henesys then begins to take his leave. Amoria follows him as he exits the door. She glances at Perion one last time before leaving. Perion smiles at her once again. Her expression remains indifferent as she leaves.

_I love you Amoria…_

Back in the lush forest of Ellinia, Grendel was being taken care of by Ellinia. He lies on the broken wooden floor with Ellinia besides him. She has her in the air above his body and her eyes closed. Healing energy was being transferred from the palms of her hands to Grendel's body, healing his wounds. Her concentration was strong, and so her healing. Not before long, Grendel has been restored back to normal. He continues to lie on the wooden floor.

"Mother…" He starts. Ellinia opens her eyes and glances down at him. Her attention was now focused on him.

"How… Why…" He chokes out. Ellinia then understood the depth of his questions. She closes her eyes again and sighs. She then opens them and stare at the ground besides Grendel.

"Yes, he was your father. It was all so long ago… It all started with this day by the edge of the forest. I found him wounded next to a river and I took him into my care. Then after that, he would visit quite often. He brought me gifts of all sorts and his words soothed me. Not long after, I began to fall in love with him… and that is the story." Ellinia finishes. Grendel seems half satisfied. He then closes his eyes again to rest. Ellinia lets him be. She rises from the wooden floor and walks towards the opening to the library. She takes a glance outside into the forest and up at the canopy. Small rays of sunlight were seeping through.

_And I still love you…_


	8. Chapter 7: The Sun Setting Dream

**Chapter 7:**** The Sun**** S****et****ting**** Dream**

_Ha…ha…ha…_

A slow cackle could be heard through the underground caves. A series of damp tunnels that seem to go on forever came to view. The underground tunnel provided an excellent hideout for hoards of monsters, and so it did. Tiny cracks led to hidden caverns where weary travelers could escape and have rest. The tunnel was constantly damp, and was deprived of sunlight. Droplets of water fell constantly from the ceiling of the cavern. Not even a flicker of the sun's rays could be seen. Navigation in the maze-like tunnel was almost absolutely impossible.

A small flicker of candle light lit up the small cavern and the shadows of four figures came into view. They all wore black cloaks that covered from head to toe. Shadows hid their face from view. Faint whispers and murmurs could be heard coming from them as they huddled over a rock that seems to be a table. What sort of beings they were, was impossible to tell.

"So it's true then…" A deep voice says. The cloaked figure sitting across from him nods his head once. His shadow follows his movements on the ground.

"Then it's time… to put everything we've been taught all our lives into work." The figure continues. The other three figures turn their attention to him.

"Our Master Sleepywood would have been proud at the plan I've devised." The cloaked figure continues on with his deep voice. His long, purple hair hung out from his hood and onto his chest.

"Your plan?" A less deep voice asks.

"I have trained long and hard all these years to perform my dark magic. The power of shape shifting has been granted to me. I shall break each and every one of them." The deeper voice replies. A sinister smile was plastered on his face. The gloomy shadows once again engulf their figures, vanishing them from sight.

_I will break them one by one._

The vast rocky mountains of Perion seem to go on forever. The bold and musky scent of dust continuously fills the air. The desolate setting is enough to bring all moods to a halt and enter a state of harsh depression. But every beginning has an end… and just over the last of the rocky cliffs, a beautiful valley came into view.

Heh, yeah right. Over the rocky cliffs came a land struggling to enter the age of metal and technology. Twisted bars of iron and metal fill the land as buildings came into view. The brick ground was a bright contrast to the dusty floors of Perion. The monster infested construction sites made it difficult for work to continue, so the contorted pieces of iron stayed in place… untouchable and unable to be finished.

A low sunset hung over the valley of Kerning City. The sky blended a nice red, orange, yellow, blue, and pink... like a mere sun setting dream. The shadows casted by the twisted metal drew abstract designs all over the ground, making the road seem like a mere sun setting dream. Graffiti could be seen all over the walls around Kerning City, as youngsters protest and express their ideas through vandalism. But hey, that's the only way anyone would take them seriously.

The city of Kerning seems like a never ending dump. Trash is littered all over the ground, the buildings and structures began to fall apart, and crime seems to increase day by day. Kerning is the home of all thieves.

Much activity goes on during the day in Kerning city. There is a party quest in which a group of friends can battle their way through the swamps behind Kerning city. The subway leads to a whole new world, a world where technology ultimately prevails. Kerning city is also home to the Dark Lord, master of all thieves.

Travelers search wide and far for the well known Dark Lord, seeking him to gain his powers of a thief, and become stronger. Finding him is not exactly easy. Hidden in the shadows beneath the crumbling city of Kerning, Dark Lord hands from the ceiling, meditating his powers. His origins are unknown, and his history is shrouded in shadows just like himself.

The city of Kerning was not always a crumbling city. Centuries ago, it was a city of full bloom. Iron was first introduced in the construction of buildings to make them stronger and sturdier. The mighty walls to keep out monsters were in full use and the streets were cleaned regularly. The setting of Kerning city wasn't always a depressing sun setting dream.

The anxious wait of the return of Kerning, the godly king of thieves, seem to diminish as the time progressed. The fate of the City rested with the protection of Dark Lord. The glorious days of Kerning were long over, and the people seemed to given up all hope on his return. The once strong and mighty fortress of lord Kerning had been broken down and the small city of Kerning built over it.

Deep in the basement of the Fusion Bar, Dark Lord senses a disturbance in the air. His eyes slowly open as he is hung upside down like a bat. His features were hidden in the shadows. Rows of wooden boxes and crates line the room around the arena that seems to be set in the middle of the basement. A rather large object covered in a white cloth was tucked in the farthest and darkest corner of the room, away from sight.

The bar upstairs was going as usual, the bar tender cleaning glasses and the various travelers coming in for a drink. Nothing out of the ordinary was happening in the bar.

"Hello Miss… would you like something to drink?" The bar tender asks a young woman. The young woman looks deep into his eyes with her hazel colored eyes and captures him in a trance. The young bar tender falls into her trance as he finds himself lost in her eyes. The trance seem to last an eternity.

"Excuse me, can I have a glass of water?" A young traveler asks the bar tender as he takes a seat besides the young woman. The bar tender falls out of his trance as he takes a glance over at the young traveler. He blinks a few times as his mind tries to register back into reality.

"Right away sir." The bar tender replies as he turns around to prepare a glass of water for him. The young traveler turns and examines the young woman. His eyes light up.

"You're very pretty, Miss." He says as he smiles. Her white dress flowed around her and her seat like silk blankets on a bed. She was leaned forward, bearing her weight on her arms as they were placed onto the counter. She doesn't respond. Her eyes suggested she was deep in thought as they were pointed down at the counter. Memories races through her mind… some pleasant… others not so pleasant…

_"Here, these are for you…" _A bouquet of bright yellow flowers wrapped in lacy white ribbons were shoved to her face. She stands in awe as the beautiful sight of yellows flowers engulfed her. She blinks a few times and accepts the beautiful bouquet of flowers and holds them to her chest. The bouquet had blocked the face of the donor, and by the time she had looked up, he was gone. She sighs as she gaps at the empty space that stood the man that gave her the beautiful flowers. A flicker of wind captures her hair and the dangling pieces of lace from the ribbons on the bouquet.

"He's a slick one, that Kerning." Henesys says with a slight chuckle. He approaches her from behind with his hands in his pockets. The warm summer afternoon sun was taking its toll and the slow moving breeze made the atmosphere more welcoming. Henesys' radiant glow depicted his good health and personal grooming habits.

"Kerning…?" Amoria says as she turns around to face Henesys. Her deep hazel eyes were full of question. The summer afternoon sun made her golden hair more beautiful and the slight breeze that tossed it gently completes this picture, making it seem like a mid summer's dream.

"Yes, the king of thieves I always called him." Henesys explains.

"Oh…" Amoria's gaze shifts to the floor as her eyes fill with uncertainty.

"And I see that he has taken quite an interest in you…" He says. Amoria's gaze returns to Henesys as her eyes search his face for something hidden… and finds none. She returns her gaze to the ground. Uncertainty returns to her expressions.

Henesys takes a few steps forward, bridging the gap between them, and captures Amoria in an embrace. He rests his head on top of hers and gently pulls her closer to him. The beautiful bouquet of yellow flowers flatten slightly in between them. Henesys' calm breathing could be felt he holds Amoria in a loving and peaceful embrace.

"…But he can never have you, for you are mine." Henesys finishes as he closes his eyes. Amoria smiles to herself and brings the bouquet out from between them and returns his loving embrace. She rests her head on his chest as she pulls herself closer to him. The rhythm of their slow breaths and beating hearts were in tune… seemingly as one.

Amoria's mind registers back into reality as the familiar bar atmosphere returns. The hard, wooden counter which she was leaning on seemed more comfortable than before. The bar tender was facing the opposite direction in front of her, wiping clean the glass cups. The young boy sitting besides her was gone, and a few more faces had dropped in for a drink. A glass cup filled with water was sitting in front of her.

_But he can never have you, for you are mine…_

Henesys' words rang through her head. She picks up the cup of water and examines it. She then swirls the water around inside the cup absent mindedly and sighs. She sets it back down to the table and gazes at the whirlpool of water inside the cup, heavy thoughts infiltrating her mind. Her hazel eyes become lost in the swift movements of water.

"WHERE ARE YOU TAKING ME?!" Amoria's voice rang through the forest as she was traveling in an extremely fast speed. The shackles and chains around her body pinched her delicate skin as her apprehender leaps from tree branch to tree branch in an extremely quick speed. She was being carried over the apprehender's shoulders and his face was hidden from view for it was almost entirely covered.

"ANSWER ME." She demands. Her kidnapper doesn't respond. This irritated her greatly, but she was unable to do anything about it. The chains and shackles were strong and contained strong magic spells to keep her in place. She was helpless to stop this capture. She finally stops struggling after realizing that it would be in vain.

_Where did you go Henesys…?_

The blazing afternoon sun beamed down at them as they leapt from tree to tree, trying to reach their destination. Before long, they had arrived at a grand fortress overlooking an industrialized city. The metal gates were drawn as they approached near and guards dressed in ninja outfits greeted them.

"Welcome back my lord." They recite as her captor passes them by. They kneel and bow their heads to show respect to their lord. The large metal gates closes behind them as they entered and darkness engulfed them. Flickers of light set by torches on the wall illuminated their paths as they walked through the many corridors of the fortress. After turning many corners and climbing up an uncountable number of stairs, they stop in front of a room with large wooden doors. He opens them and inside was one of the more beautiful bedrooms she had ever laid eyes on. The red carpet illuminated the whole entire room and the large bed was filled with silky red sheets. A large door on the other side of the room led to a balcony.

Her kidnapper walks towards the bed and throws her onto it. Her head was facing the front of the bed and her feet on top of one of the pillows. Her body was supported up by her right elbow. It was then that she took a good look at him. He was lean, with a nice figure. He had black hair with deep, blue eyes. He was wearing a silver identity on his forehead and a black piece of cloth over his mouth. His outfit consisted of multiple layers of black, tight clothing.

"Are you finished examining me yet?" He had a calm, soft voice. It was slightly muffled from the black piece of cloth that covered his mouth. She narrows her eyes at him.

_His voice is so… familiar…_

He proceeds to taking off his silver identity, revealing half of his face. Strands of black hair fell on his face as they were freed after the removal of the band. He then proceeds to removing the black piece of cloth covering his mouth. He drops the equipments to the floor. He waits for it to dawn on her.

"You…" She begins. He smirks.

"You're Kerning… I've met you once before…" She finishes as she watches him remove his black gloves. In one swift movement, he captures her face in his hands… his grasp underneath her chin and above her neck. Her eyes widen slightly as she takes a quick breath in. He had one knee on the bed and his left hand supported the position he was in. He gazes into her eyes.

"You shall be my bride, Amoria." His soft voice sent tingles down her spine… what an irony. She felt absolutely helpless to do anything. The chains and shackles were too strong for her to break free.

"Don't count on Henesys to come rescue you any time soon either. I've kept a close eye on the both of you for a while now and I've discovered one of his greatest weaknesses…" He starts. He gently releases his grasp on Amoria and regains his composure. Amoria rests her head on the silky sheets before she proceeds to trying to sit up again. She looks at him in question. He chuckles slightly as he watches her struggle. He takes a seat on the bed and reaches over to her again. He gently strokes her cheek with the back of his hand.

"His greatest weakness… is distance… and speed. What will take me a day of travel will take him a week. Being a bowman deprives him of the skills and agility needed for fast travel." He finishes. He gazes at Amoria in triumph.

"So don't count on him to arrive any time soon. He was with Ellinia the last time I saw him." He puts emphasize on her name and waits for it to sink in. This greatly upsets Amoria as she turns her gaze away and down onto the sheets next to her. Kerning smirks once more.

"He is unworthy of you… You should join me and become my beautiful wife. You shall never be left out in the streets again or starve from hunger… You could have all the riches you desire…" His voice seemed more like an echo now… an echo of temptation.

Amoria's gaze never leaves the spot on the silky red sheets. Kerning reaches out his hand to grasp Amoria's face once more. He turns her head towards him. He seems to take great pleasure at gazing at her face. She glares at him as he forces her to look at him. He could plainly see the pain and hurt underneath that glare, and that gave him even more pleasure.

He then releases her face again and grabs hold of the chains that binded her body and pulls her closer to him. She grunts as she was dragged a few feet from where she was laying. He pulls her up so that she was sitting with her legs to her side. Her long, white dress spread across the bed like another layer of silky sheets. She continues to glare at him, for it was the only thing she could do. He lifts her chin up with his fingers to direct her gaze at him once more. Then, without warning, he plants his lips against hers, forcing his tongue into her mouth.

The sudden surge left her little time to react. Her eyes widen as he forces his tongue into her mouth, wetting and tainting her precious lips. Her breath quickens as her heart beat increases. She wanted so badly to push him away. The fact that she was so helpless and powerless to stop him was the thing that probably hurt her the most.

Kerning parts and gazes at her once more. She looks stunned and in shock with her quickness of breaths and expression. He then pushes her down onto the bed with one hand and straightens her legs with the other. He then hovers over her and stokes her face once more with the back of his hand. He then cups her cheek with that same hand and presses his lips against hers once more. She tries to resist but he grasps her from underneath the chin once more to steady her. She closes her eyes shut tightly as his tongue enters her mouth once more. Small droplets of tears began to slowly fall from the corner of her eyes.

_Where are you Henesys…?_

Her mind pleas for his appearance. The thought of where he was stung her heart like a bee. It was now that she needed him more than ever, and he is far, far away. She had no control over who he wanted to see, for he claimed to be "just friends" he was visiting. She gave him the benefit of the doubt, but deep in the corners of her mind, the nagging thought kept tugging at her.

_And it slowly tore her apart._

After a while, Kerning's hands began to slowly wander down her neck and onto her bare shoulders… for her dress left the area above her breasts open. He deepens his kiss as Amoria slowly begins to give up hope. Her struggling had ceased and she became a powerless slave to Kerning. He then releases her lips and begins to kiss gently at around her chin, and slowly landing kissing down her neck. The shock continued to run up and down her spine. She felt as though something was caught in her throat as she tries to hold in her tears. Streams of them continued to flow down her face.

Suddenly, in a loud boom, the doors exploded, sending debris and smoke into the room. Kerning ceases looks over to examine what had just happened. As the smoke begins to clear, he sees a figure standing in the doorway in a familiar position. He grits his teeth growls loudly.

"RELEASE HER NOW." A familiar voice rang into the room. Relief instantly filled Amoria's body as the hopeless well in her heart fills with comfort.

"Henesys…" She whispers to herself, inaudible to everyone else. The smoke was completely cleared now and he could clearly see Kerning still hovering over the one person he knew he could never lose to another. Henesys grits his teeth and growls in anger. Kerning takes one last glance at Amoria and backs away from her. He climbs off the bed and takes a seat on a wooden bench opposite from the bed. He raises his hand in defeat and casually takes a drink of water from a cup that was sitting on a table in front of the wooden bench.

"Explain yourself Kerning." Henesys demands as he stands in front of the small table facing Kerning. Kerning puts his cup down and back onto the table. They engage in a short stare-down before Kerning gives his reply.

"Simple. I wanted her. You wouldn't let me have her. So I just took her." Kerning says casually. Too casual for Henesys' liking.

"You're lucky you're a close friend, if you weren't, you would be dead." Henesys says in a cold and icy tone. He stabs the end of his bow onto the table, crushing the corner and making the entire table collapse. The ceramic cup falls to the floor and breaks in half. Kerning's expression remains casual, as if he didn't care at all. Henesys glares at him one last time before he turns around and examines Amoria.

His topaz colored eyes quickly softens as he sees the helpless state she was in. He raises his golden bow and draws a single energy arrow. He takes aim at the chains and prepares to fire. Amoria closes her eyes shut tightly and awaits her liberation. He releases the arrow as it glowed brightly towards Amoria. It hits the chains and they shatter instantly, releasing Amoria from its grasp and freeing her at last. He then approaches the side of the bed and reaches a hand out to her. His eyes seem to be the first to apologize to her for his absence. She quickly takes his hand and he pulls her up from the bed. It was now that Kerning decides to take his leave and exits from the room.

"Henesys…" She quickly grabs hold of him and embraces him tightly. The tears began to flow freely from the corners of her eyes, staining the white ruffles on Henesys' outfit. Henesys embraces her tightly in return, happy to see that no harm had come upon her. Loud sobs could be heard as she cries in Henesys' arms. He couldn't help but embrace her tighter, as if to show that nothing could harm her now. He rests his head on top of hers and quietly hushes her.

"It's alright now, I am here." He says to her in a soothing voice. Her sobs slowly turn into sniffles as Henesys rubs her back gently, trying to calm her. He continues to hold her until she had completely calmed down. Then, she looks up at him and gazes into his eyes, seemingly to search for an answer to a question.

"How did you get here so fast?" She asks. Henesys was surprised at this answer, it took him a few seconds to give her a proper reply.

"I felt that you were in danger. So I found the quickest way to get here." Henesys explains. He wanted her to question him no more, so he captures her lips with his own. The familiar sensation brought her more comfort, making her forget about the doubt in the back of her head. The relief that he was here was good enough for her.

"Excuse me Miss, are you alright?" A voice brought her back to reality once more as the familiar bar tender looks at her. Amoria looks up at him, seemingly lost.

"You were staring at that cup of water for some time now, and I can't help but feel that something is wrong?" The bar tender says as he continues to clean wine cups. He sets the cup down and leans on the counter near Amoria.

"You know, if you need someone to talk to I'm right here. I won't tell anyone I promise. Seeing a woman like you so deep in thought sometimes, worry me." He explains. Just then, the door to the bar opens and a man walks in. He takes a seat next to Amoria and gently strokes the back of her head. The bar tender looks at them awkwardly.

"Would you like something to drink sir?" He asks. Henesys nods and the bar tender returns to work to prepare him a glass of water. The man moves closer to Amoria as he puts his arms around her waist.

"Are you sure you'll be fine? We don't have to release Kerning if you don't want to." He says quietly. She shifts her gaze at him and then back to her glass of water again. The bar tender returns with his glass of water and sets it on the table, then returns to cleaning more cups at the opposite end of the counter.

"I'll be fine. Don't worry about me." She says, her gaze never leaving the cup of water in front of her. Henesys shifts his arms from around her waist to around her shoulder, gently pulling her closer to him. She rests her head on his arm.

"Then let's go." He says as he begins to get up from his seat. Amoria follows him. They walk to a door near the back of the bar and open it. It led to a brightly lit flight of stairs that seem to lead down to the basement.

_So they've come…_

The eyes of Dark Lord open slowly, awaiting the arrival of the disturbance he sensed earlier.

The careful footsteps of Amoria and Henesys as they descended the stairs were slow. As they reached the bottom, lights flickered on around them and an arena came into view. The room was dimly lit, with shadows in every corner. Boxes and crates could be seen surrounding them, creating a barrier around the arena. Some boxes were covered with a white piece of cloth. Some were left open to view. This seemed like just an ordinary basement… with an extraordinary purpose.

"Why have you come…" A voice in the shadows echoes slowly. Amoria tenses up slightly while Henesys remains calm, trying to find the source of the voice. His eyes stop at the darkest corner of the basement, where the dim light seems to be unreachable. He narrows his eyes.

"I see. So you did not come to seek my power to become a thief. There is something else that you want isn't there?" The voice seems to mock the situation. Henesys tightens his fists, preparing to summon his trusty golden bow. His muscles begin to tense up, waiting for the exact moment to strike.

_Too Slow_.

Out of the shadows came 6 steel knives, each as sharp as razors, hurling towards Henesys. Amoria swiftly takes a step forward and swipes her sideways/up, creating hoards of pink colored energy. The energy collides with the steel knives, incinerating them in mid air. The hoard energy does not stop and proceeds towards the thrower of the knives, threatening to inflict the same fate upon him.

The darkened shadow leaps from his spot in the ceiling and into the dim light in the arena. The darkness of shadows conceals his face and his expressions. His hands are clasped together in a meditative position in front of him. On his forehead there was the golden identity, and a mask covered most of his face. He wore tight clothing made of the deepest shade of black and large bat wings adorned his back.

The hoard of energy crashes into the wall behind where he was before, destroying the many crates along its path and revealing a statue in a secret room behind the wall. Dust and debris filled the air of the underground basement.

After the debris clears, Henesys holds out his hand. A shimmer of blue and white light begin to form around it. The light forms a golden bow in his hand. He grasps it and returns it to his side. Amoria regains her composure, recovering from her quick assault. Her chest moves up and down, keeping up with her breath from the sudden splurge of energy.

They take a quick look at the statue in the secret room. Four golden floating stones encircled it. The statue depicted a man in tight clothing and armor in a ninja fighting stance. His face was clearly shone without a mask. His right hand was slightly over his left shoulder with throwing stars in between his fingers. It seem as though he was about to throw them at his enemy.

"So you have come for him…" Their gazes return to the figure standing in the arena. Their attention became focused on him.

"It's impossible to free him. Normal fighting weapons cannot pierce through the barrier. The barrier cannot be broken with everyday magic and attacks." The figure continues.

"Then… how?" Henesys asks. His grip tightens on his bow. The figure nods his head.

"It is impossible…" He continues. Henesys growls. He was getting impatient.

"Stand aside." Henesys commands. The figure sighs.

"I know who you are. I am Dark Lord, master of all thieves. Rumors have been going back and forth between the cities and I am up to date with what is going on. My spies have all confirmed it. And still, after all the confirmations, I still deem you unable to break this barrier. You can try as hard as you like, but it will all be in vain." Dark Lord says.

"I do not care who you are. Stand aside or I will forcefully move you." Henesys threatens in a cold tone. He was definitely getting irritated by this person's arrogance.

_The nerve… __who__ does he think he is?_

Dark Lord does not move. In response, Henesys raises his bow and draws an energy arrow. Golden flares around the arrow encircle the arrow as Henesys takes aim at Dark Lord. Dark Lord narrows his eyes and prepares to dodge it. Henesys releases the arrow and it comes flying towards Dark Lord. Much to Dark Lord's dismay, the one single arrow turns into multiple energy arrows, all heading towards him. In a blink of an eye, Dark Lord leaps out of danger and onto a crate outside of the arena nearby. The energy arrows pierce the crates behind him, creating loud explosions and flying debris.

In response to Henesys' attack, Dark Lord immediately throws 5 super sharp throwing stars towards Henesys before he had the time to defend himself. The sharp stars slices through the air towards Henesys. Henesys only had time to glance over before the throwing stars were only a few yards from his face, stuck in a glowing pink barrier set up by Amoria just in time. Amoria's right hand was stretched out, almost as if to reach for something far away. She had a surprised expression plastered on her face, and took a few heavy breaths. Henesys glances at her, and then glances back at Dark Lord. Dark Lord had the equally same surprised expression on his face. He then kneels down, admitting defeat.

"I myself cannot defeat the both of you. To continue fighting will be foolish. If you really believe you can release the great Lord Kerning, then go on ahead. I will not stop you." Dark Lord says with his head bowed. Amoria lets down her barrier and Henesys returns his bow to his side. They both relax slightly and approach the secret room where the statue stood.

The four stones surrounding the statue continue to emit a golden glow as they approached. Amoria's eyes shift to the ground as memories flooded back to her head. Most of which were quite unpleasant.

_Lady Amoria, Please give me a chance to care for you…_

The echo of Kerning's voice returns to her head.

_I fell in love with you ever since the first day I set eyes on you…_

The echo continues to infiltrate her mind.

_What do you see in Henesys?_

She didn't want to hear any more from him.

_What is it that you like so much in him?_

Amoria pulls her hand to her head, trying to rid the voice inside. Henesys glances behind him and notices that Amoria was having trouble. He turns around fully and approaches her.

"Are you alright?" He asks her in a caring tone. He reaches over and grabs hold of her shoulder. Amoria looks up at Henesys. Henesys flashes a smile.

"We don't have to release him if you truly don't want to…" He says. Amoria diverts her eyes away again, finding her spot on the ground.

"No, I'll be fine." She replies. She faces him once more and flashes a fake smile. Henesys remains uncertain, but continues on. He takes a few steps forward towards the statue and holds up his bow in the attack position. He draws an energy arrow back and takes him. Flaring energy encircles the arrow once more as he prepares to fire it. Amoria stands back and watches with discomfort in her heart.

Henesys releases the arrow and it flies towards the invisible barrier created by the four floating rocks. As soon as the arrow comes in contact with the barrier, it dispels. The four floating rocks began to emit an even brighter glow as the barrier seems to flash with energy. Surges of energy flew up and down the barrier. Henesys stares at the barrier in confusion as to what had just happened. He concludes that the barrier had absorbed his attack, making it stronger than before. He closes his eyes and growls. This was getting extremely irritating.

Another idea comes into his mind. He draws another energy arrow and takes aim once more. This time, he aims for one of the four floating rocks surround the statue. He grunts as he releases the energy arrow. The arrow soars through the air towards the floating rock with a golden trail behind it. The arrow hits the rock directly and becomes stuck in it. The four rocks begin to glow once more, absorbing the glowing energy emitting from the arrow, making it disappear from the rock. Henesys' jaw drops.

"WHAT?!" He blurts out. Today was definitely not his day. Amoria watches the statue and its barrier skeptically.

_If regular attacks won't hurt it… then… maybe…_

An idea hits Amoria. She approaches Henesys and whispers her idea in his ear. He eyes her oddly, unsure if her plan could work or not. He agrees to try it out. He draws another energy arrow back and takes aim straight for the barrier. Amoria moves in behind and places her hand over his. Her hands then begin to emit a pink glow, and Henesys' arrow begins to turn into a vibrant pink with both gold and pink flares encircling it. The previous splinter wounds and slight tears from Henesys clothes begin to heal and disappear. Henesys could feel his whole entire body rejuvenated and replenished as Amoria's healing powers surge through him.

Henesys releases the arrow and a circling trail of pink and gold follows behind the arrow. It hits the barrier dead on, and it begins to spark and flash as the arrow slowly begins to pierce through the barrier. Bolts of energy flew everywhere in the room, destroying wooden crates nearby and creating dents on the ground. Amoria releases Henesys and forms a barrier to protect them from the bolts of energy from the barrier. The energy strikes the barrier but then gets deflected away. Amoria grunts slightly as she is forced to strengthen the barrier to keep it from dissipating from the force of the energy. The energy continues to surge around the barrier until the arrow had pierced completely through it. The four floating rocks then explode and pieces begin to fall to the ground. The barrier had been destroyed.

Amoria releases her barrier once everything had been cleared. The statue then began to crumble as bits of rock and stone began to fall off. The statue then crumbles to the ground, as if the force that was holding it up just vanished. Henesys and Amoria gapes at the piling of rock and stone in front of them. Their eyes were widened and their jaws were dropped. Perhaps their combined powers were too strong?

_Uhhh__… __Uh oh?_

Henesys hears a quick gasp from behind him. He turns around.

"You see what I mean when I said that Henesys' greatest weakness is his speed? This time, I was right in front of him and he was still too slow." A familiar voice rang in their ears. Amoria takes a few moments to register what was going on in her head. Kerning had used his extreme speed to get pass Henesys without him knowing and grip Amoria face from below her chin. His other arm was used to wrap around her waist as he pulled her slightly closer to him. Amoria was still in shock. Henesys was enraged.

"Let go of her." He says sternly. Kerning smirks at him. He then forces Amoria's face up from the grip he had on her already and plants a kiss on her lips, enjoying every moment of it. Henesys immediately retaliates and raises his bow up in the air, preparing to strike him on the back. Amoria squeezes her eyes shut and tries to resist his tongue from entering her mouth.

As the blow from Henesys' bow nearly reaches Kerning from behind, he pushes himself away from Amoria, and using that momentum, he escapes from the blow. Amoria falls to the ground and lands on her bottom, with Henesys' bow striking inches away from her feet. Amoria continues to have a surprised look on her face. Kerning lands gracefully a few yards behind Henesys. Henesys rushes to Amoria's side and kneels down to her eye level.

"Are you alright?" He asks her with a concerned look on his face. She nods as a look of disgust creeps upon her face. Henesys gives a relieved sigh as he clasps her shoulder with one hand and wipes her lips with the ruffles on his other sleeve. Amoria reaches to touch that hand. He then rests his forehead on hers and takes a breath. Somehow, this brought relief to the both of them. Henesys then lifts his head and faces Kerning. He puts both of his arms around Amoria's shoulder and pulls her closer to him. Amoria rests her head on his chest and faces Kerning while narrowing her eyes.

"You should be grateful." Henesys says to him. Kerning smirks again.

"Yeah, I should be. So now what? Do we need to go free the others?" Kerning asks as if nothing has happened. Henesys becomes slightly taken back.

"Well. Ellinia and Perion are free. We just have Lith left." Henesys replies in an irritated tone. Kerning nods and rubs his chin with his hand.

"Lith is weak, we can leave him." Kerning says in a casual tone.

"No, we can not leave him, he would want to be a part in our vengeful crusade." Henesys replies with annoyance. Kerning thinks about it for a moment.

"Ehh, fine. He always got in our way before just to let you know. Doesn't he have beef with Ellinia or something?" Kerning asks. Henesys was not in the mood to discuss this.

"That is none of your business, now let's go." Henesys tries to end the conversation there. Kerning again, sees his faults.

"So what's up with you and Ellinia lately? Anything you want to share?" Kerning asks, almost as if he was trying to mock him… or stir some emotions around indirectly. Henesys tightens his grip slightly on Amoria's shoulder absent mindedly, but Amoria feels it. Her mind too, was tense and in a knot.

"No. Now let's go." Henesys says while standing up and pulling Amoria with him. He puts an arm around Amoria's shoulder and directs her to start walking. He glances back at Kerning and flashes him a glare. Kerning smiles back, still trying to mock him. Henesys ignores him and walks with Amoria back up to the bar with Kerning trailing behind them.

The sun setting dream once again greets them as they exited the Fusion Bar. The red brick ground from under their feet and the scene of unfinished construction filled their sights as they take their first glances outside.

"Wow, this place has changed since I've been gone." Kerning states as he observes the picture before him. His hands were in his pockets as he finishes observing the city where his fortress used to be. Henesys was standing next to him with Amoria on his other side.

"Hey get out of the way!" A stranger shoves Henesys over to one side forcefully as he walks inside. Henesys stumbles a bit from the lack of concentration to his surroundings, and then regains his composure. He grips the stranger's arm and pulls him back out with equal amount of force. This surprises the stranger. He then releases his arm and grabs him by his shirt.

"Who do you think you are?!" Henesys shouts in his face, anger tingeing in his voice. The stranger had nothing to reply with.

"Hey, chill out. Let the guy go he did no harm." Kerning says coolly while examining his fingernails. Henesys glances at him, and then glances back at the stranger. The stranger seems to be cowering in fear. Henesys sighs and releases the stranger. The stranger then takes his chance to run away.

"Let's go, now." Henesys says with a sigh as he puts his hands in his pockets. He begins to walk with Amoria next to him and Kerning on his other side.

It was then that they started their trek down south, towards the direction of the harbor of Lith and the city of Henesys once more. The sun setting dream was never a dream… just a sky painted orange, pink, and blue.


	9. Chapter 8: The Wind, The Water, The Sand

Chapter 8: The Wind, The Water, The Sand 

The sound of waves splashing against the shore of the beach, the warm morning sun beating against the sand, and the calls of the seagulls from above wouldn't be enough to describe this wonderfully blissful place. The sparkling sea, the ocean breeze, and salty scent lingering in the air… could not compare to the wonderful feeling of warm sand between your toes. This place was the perfect ideal for paradise.

"I HATE THIS PLACE! WHY IS THERE SO MUCH SAND?!" A rough voice shouts.

"Calm down Kerning…" Another voice replies.

"THE ONLY REASON YOU'RE NOT COMPLAINING IS BECAUSE YOU DON'T CONSTANTLY HAVE SAND INSIDE YOUR SHOE." Kerning yells as he stops to remove his shoe for the millionth time. Frustration seems to fill the air around him. He plops down on the warm sand and begins untying his many straps securing his shoe. He had tried everything to keep sand from going inside… running, sprinting, flash jumping… you name it. His other two companions don't seem to have much trouble walking through the sand. I guess this is why you never see ninjas at the beach.

"We're almost there anyways…" A soft feminine voice says as she turns around to keep walking. In her hands held her golden sandals. The sand warmed her feet, and that gave a comforting sensation to her mood.

"Stop your complaining, the harbor is up ahead." A more masculine voice says as he puts his hands behind his head. He closes his eyes and continues walking, taking in the fresh, salty ocean air. Kerning hurriedly emptied one of his shoes of sand and takes a moment to strap it back on. Once secured, he uses his quick speed to catch up to them.

The warm, ocean breeze traveled slowly passed them, creating ripples in their clothes as they cling to their bodies. Henesys runs his fingers through his brown hair, as if to remove excess dirt from his hair. Amoria holds back the tresses that fell on her face as the gentle ocean breeze swept passed them. Kerning was too busy trying to prevent sand from going in his shoe than to enjoy this blissful weather.

The harbored city ahead had just begun to spring to life. Merchants and sailors had just begun to open shop to sell their many goods and seafood. The many restaurants and cafes started to open and the streets of Lith Harbor began to fill with crowds. The residents residing in Lith Harbor had woken early to start their day, furthering crowding the streets in Lith Harbor. The salty scent of ocean air filled the nostrils of every inhabitant in the city.

Curious glances were exchanged as the trio walked into town. Those curious glances were soon followed by whispers. News had spread far and wide about the shocking news of their return. Most people had been convinced ever since they were children that everything was only a mere myth. Little children's storybooks were never taken seriously really…

"Mother, have you heard? They're real! The gods and goddesses I read about in school are real!" A young boy exclaims as he tugs on the apron of his mother. The mother looks at the young child and smiles. Her hands continue to wash the many dishes in the sink.

"Of course, now run along now." The mother says with a radiant smile. The young boy smiles back and returns to playing with his toys. The mother glances down at her dishes, deep in thought.

'Could it really be? I've heard the same news from the neighbors… I've always been taught that the gods and goddesses were only myths. Could they really exist?' The mother thinks to herself. She sighs and continues to scrub the many dishes in front of her.

The ring of a tiny bell fills the small house as the door opens. A small creak sounded as a familiar dragon knight steps foot into the house. This caught the attention of the young boy and the mother. The young boy glances up at the intruder and smiles the possibly biggest smile a young boy can ever make. The mother gives a warm smile.

"Big brother!" The young boy exclaims and latches onto the intruder's leg. The intruder… erm… 'big brother' looks down and returns a smile. He was wearing a heavy suit of armor and a jeweled helmet. He pats the young boy's head with his gloved hands as he smiles at his mother.

"Oh, John, you're back early. Enough training already?" The mother jokes as she wipes her hands on her apron. The familiar dragon knight known as John takes off his helmet and sets it down on the table.

"Training is hard work! I'm tired." He says as he takes a seat. The young child returns to playing with his toys as his mother takes a seat next to the warrior.

"Aw, look at you. You're as strong as your father already. You're becoming quite accomplished as a dragon knight. I'm very proud of you." His mother says as she strokes her son's cheeks. He blushes slightly at the comment.

"Thank you mother, I only wish to make you proud." He says with a smile. The mother chuckles in delight. Oh how lucky she was to have such a faithful son. He then proceeds to tell her about all the wonderful things he had encountered during his few weeks of training.

"I'm strong enough to kill almost any monster now!" He finishes. His mother laughs with him.

"But do be careful John. If you ever need something, let me know." The mother says reassuringly.

"I know mother." John replies.

"I heard from the neighbors that the gods and goddesses had been released. I've also heard that they are really powerful… have you heard anything about it?" The mother asks, her tone fills with concern.

"Actually… I've seen what one of them could do first hand." He says as his eyes narrow slightly. His memory recalls the event that happened a few weeks ago when he was in the Henesys Market Place.

A woman dressed in a long, white dress adorned with gold armor was facing a strong man with a glowing red katana and his clan.

"Get out of my way." She says in a cold tone. The glare she was giving them could pierce through the toughest armor. The gang held their weapons in a ready position and positioned themselves for an all out attack.

"NEVER! …ATTACK!" The gang leader calls out as they lunge at her with their weapons.

'This woman… something's not right about her…' The dragon knight thinks to himself as he evaluates the scene before him.

The woman becomes irritated and swipes her right hand up and sideways in the air. At that instant, hoards of energy came crashing into the gang members, evaporating them where they stand. Her expression remains indifferent.

'WHAT THE…' The dragon knight could not believe his eyes. His arms were no longer crossed; he was entirely captivated at the sight before him. His eyes were widened with surprise.

'How could she have DISSINAGRATED them with one swipe of her hand?!' He asks himself, stunned.

The woman takes a slow breath in and continues walking down the street. The people part a path for her to walk through and soon, she blends in and vanishes in the crowd of travelers walking in her direction.

"I had encountered Amoria, the goddess of Love that day…" John says after he finishes recalling the event. His mother looks at him curiously.

"Amoria…?" She asks.

"Yeah, she was so powerful that she incinerated a group of strong men where they stood." He continues. His mother gasps.

"But… that makes no sense…" His mother says. John eyes her questioningly.

"She's supposed to be the Goddess of Love is she not?" John nods.

"Then… why did she kill the group of men?" His mother finishes.

"They were provoking her as she walked by." He replies. His mother understands.

"Her power… it was incredible… I've never felt anything so strong before. I'm sure she can destroy cities with that kind of power…" He says. His mother begins to look worried.

"Please stay safe." Was all his mother could say.

"Don't worry mother, I wont get involved." He says as he reassures her. She smiles at him.

"Shouldn't someone do something about it? I mean, if she alone could destroy cities… then what about the other gods and goddesses? I'm sure some evil men would be out to gain their power." His mother says worried again.

"I've been hearing of some secret gatherings of powerful warriors from all classes. They plan to combine their forces to seek out and destroy them. They've asked me to join them, but I declined. I just didn't feel right about it. I mean… just because they're strong, doesn't mean that they'll abuse their power. If they really wanted to destroy cities, they would have done it by now. I haven't heard of any casualties by the other gods and goddesses, so they can't be all that bad…" John explains. His mother thinks about it.

"You're right John… but people will still fear their safety. Some people will take advantage of that to try to make some profit off trying to get rid of them… and that could start some chaos." His mother replies.

"That may be… only time will tell I guess." John says as he looks at the cup of tea that was sitting next to him on the table. The gentle ripples in the cup seem to be in sync with his heartbeat.

"But I'm glad you're not taking part in it, John." His mother replies. John smiles back at his mother.

"Don't worry, I'll be alright." He says.

The warm afternoon sun continues to beam down at the town by the sea, warming up the sand and the water. Dusk was approaching soon as the sun moves across the sky. The sky itself was beginning to deepen slightly, fading into a deeper shade of light blue. The seabirds continued their calls over the waves as the many ships sail pass by. The seaside wind was beginning to pick up.

Henesys, Amoria, and Kerning had arrived in a cave at the base of a cliff. The many rocks and steep ledges proved to be a difficult place to reach. Inside the cave sat a statue with four floating golden stones around it. The statue depicted a young man with his arms crossed in front of his chest and eyes closed. A blanket of waves surrounds his body. The trio had no problems releasing Lith from his stone prison as their combined powers easily broke through the barrier. The waves outside seem to dance at the arrival of the god of the Sea.

Later that night, they found an empty cottage by the sea to spend the night in. The cottage was well built and warm. A small fire was made at the center for extra warmth. The flickering flame cast shadows around the figures in the cottage. Amoria was asleep next to Henesys on the wooden floor as Lith sat across from them. The warm flames were in between them. Kerning took a seat at the windowsill, staring out at the moon. Stars were extra bright tonight, with the almost-crescent moon sitting with them. Kerning was at ease.

"We will return to the village of archers tomorrow. Then we will regroup and head out." Henesys says. Amoria continues to sleep next to him. Lith nods in agreement. Then, something hits Kerning.

"OH SHIT!" He calls out all of a sudden. He nearly falls from the windowsill. This caught the attention of both Henesys and Lith as they turn to face him. Amoria stirs slightly.

"What happened?!" Lith asks. Kerning's jaw drops.

"I LEFT MY MOST POWERFUL SET OF STARS BACK AT MY PLACE!" He exclaims. Henesys hushes him and reminds him that Amoria was still asleep. Kerning puts his hand over his mouth.

"I'll set out for them tomorrow. I'll meet you guys at the village of archers later." He finishes in a whisper. Henesys sighs. Lith eyes him awkwardly.

"Fine then. I guess it's only me and Amoria that'll be heading back tomorrow then. Since both you and Lith won't be joining us for the time being." Henesys says as he faces the fire once more.

"I'll be fast, don't worry." Kerning says.

The cold night slowly passes by as the moon makes its way across the sky. The tiny glitters of stars begin to disappear as the rising sun signals the beginning of dawn. The dark sky fades into lighter shades of blue as the sun peeps over the hilltops, sending down the first rays of the morning sun. The early birds start to awaken to start their day and soon, the city once again springs to life.

Lith had decided to stay back at the harbor for a few more days before heading to the city of Henesys. So the trio set out again towards the fork in the road that led to the city of Kerning and the city of Henesys. It was there that the trio split up for the time being. Kerning uses his flash jump to try to return to the city of Kerning as fast as he could to retrieve his stars. Henesys and Amoria went the opposite way, towards the city of Henesys and the village of Amoria.


	10. Chapter 9: Hatred

**Chapter 9: Hatred**

A dim lit candle brightens up the room to a wooden cabin. The shadows of the inhabitants in the room were cast along the wooden walls, following their every move. A small table in the center of the room held the small candle, and beside it, a map of Victoria Island and a proposition.

"So… are you interested?" A rough, deep voice bellows amidst the dancing shadows. He was wearing a cloak as dark as the night itself and golden belts tied around his waist. The hood of the cloak covers his face and his expressions, concealing them and making him one with the shadows itself.

"Hmm… what's in it for us?" A taller man wearing a full coat of black chain mail with a large Devil's Sunrise strapped behind his back asks. His aura radiated with power, indicating that he was not just a weak fool.

"You will have the title of the strongest of the strong, and I assure you, you will hear no more of me." The rough voice replies. He pulls his hood down more to further conceal his already concealed face.

"That sounds good to me. So what exactly are you planning to do?" The taller man asks. His voice shows clear interest in this proposition, and he eagerly waits for the ultimate plan.

"It's very simple actually. All you will need to do is assemble your parties to march out on my command, and all will fall into place." The rough voice explains slowly. He places both of his hands inside each sleeve of his cloak and waits for a response.

"That's simple enough. So what do we do? Charge at them all at once?" The powerful crusader was a fool after all.

"All you have to do is take down one of them." The rough voice replies. The crusader looks down at the cloaked man with question. How does taking down one of them destroy all of them?

"You got to be kidding me. Only one of them? What about the other five? What are you scheming you fool?!" The crusader was utterly confused and in his frustration he slams his powerful fists onto the poor, wooden table, nearly shattering it. The cloaked man does not flinch.

"You only need to kill one of them. The rest will destroy themselves…" Malice dripped from his voice as he says the last sentence slowly.

"One of them eh? I don't know what you're planning, but if I only have to take down one to destroy them all, I'm fine with it. Where do we start?" The crusader asks as he cracks his knuckles. A grim smirk finds its way upon his face as he thinks of all the glory that will be bestowed upon him.

"You will start here…" The cloaked man takes out his thin finger and points to a location on the map. Evil laughter could be heard coming from the wooden cabin deep in the jungles. The darkness of night fades.

The next morning was a typical morning. The sun barely lit the meadow below as the hills blocked its light, the birds began its morning melody, the slight dew on the leaves, and the crisp scent of clean, morning air. Waves lapped at the sandy shores as the few rays of sun began to warm up the beach. A couple of lost lorangs sprang up from their nightly slumber to take their morning dives in the water. The residents near the beach had also awakened early, mostly to start work in the markets and restaurants. The coconut trees along the beaches swayed gently to the morning breeze as they gratefully welcomed the morning sun. The beautiful harbored city began to shine as the sun sprang up from the hills.

"Why good morning ladies." A familiar face winks as he walks down the main road in the small city. The group of three young ladies giggles politely to themselves as they pass by. He continues walking down the street, wondering why all the pretty young ladies were giggling to themselves as he passed by. Maybe it was his dazzling sky blue shaggy hair… or maybe it was his sapphire colored eyes that caught their attention. What was it really? No one would ever know.

"Excuse me sir, would you like to buy some fish?" A sailor merchant asks him as he passes by his shop. Lith walks over to the fishy stand and glances down at the merchandise. He takes a sniff and retches his face in disgust. He loved fish, but not 3 day old fish.

"Not thank you… I'm more in the mood for something… less fishy…" He says as he walks off. He scratches behind his ear as the blue bandana he was wearing was starting to become… well… itchy. He is wearing a blue, vest-like piece of cloth over his body and a pair of white pants to match. A pair of brown boots completes his low-key sailor look. He continues to stroll down the long, busy street.

"Hi, can I have some mesos? I just got here and I really have no money to buy anything… think you can spare me some change?" A young man dressed in rags asks him as he approaches. Our dazzling blue haired, blue eyed man blinks a few times at this stranger.

"Sure man." He says as he drops a small bag of money containing 5,000 mesos. The young man's face lights up and thanks him as he walks away.

"You're welcome." He replies as he turns around to walk back down the street. Then suddenly, a high shriek coming from a female nearby catches his attention.

_Damsel in distress!_

Was the first thought that entered his head. He instantly rushes over to the scream nearby and examines the situation. Huge crowds of people had already gathered around a particular stand in the busy street. He shoves a few people out of his way in order to get to the center of the circle, earning harsh glances by the people he pushed.

He inspects the scene before him and concludes that it was one of those big-man-vs.-tiny-girl situations. The girl was a quite pretty, with brown hair and dark eye to match. The man was fairly large and judging by his aura, he was no pushover either. He had a firm grip on the shirt of the girl and looks like he's about to punch her. He sighs as he steps in to help the poor girl out. It was nothing he couldn't handle of course.

"Hey, Hey, what's going on here?" He says as he pretends it's a small deal. The girl continues to cower in fear of the large man. She glances over at her savior and relief settles in her heart. The large man smirks.

"Well, well, puny man. Are you going to interfere?" The large man mocks. He is currently wearing a suit of black armor with a large Devil's Sunrise Sword strapped behind his back.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" He says sarcastically. He places both of his hands on his hips, trying to mock the crusader back. The crusader takes this as a challenge and smirks as he drops the girl. The girl plops to the ground and carefully crawls away unnoticed by the fairly large man.

"Oh then it's a challenge? I accept." The crusader continues to smirk as he removes the straps to his sword and holds it with both hands in front of him. The straps fall to the ground with a slight jingle.

"Are you kidding me? We're in the middle of a street. Why don't we move to the meadows out back and spar?" The man with barely any armor asks. The crusader lowers his large sword and glances around him. The stares of people in the crowd around him seem to be staring at him.

"Fine." He replies and he hauls his large sword over his shoulders. He turns around and heads over to the meadows nearby. Lith follows cautiously behind him.

'Good… he's falling right into my trap…' The crusader thinks to himself as he continues walking. A smirk creeps upon his face as he leads Lith into the open meadows. A small forest outlined the edge of the meadow. The tall grass hid the many boulders in the meadow, as its flowers gave it a touch of bliss. He crusader leaps onto a boulder and faces Lith. He holds up his large sword once more in an attack position. Lith eyes him cautiously, preparing his defense stance.

"So here we are. Let me show you not to mess with me!" The crusader calls out as he leaps up from the rock. The weight of the large sword seems to vanish as the crusader wields it effortlessly. Lith's hand begins to glow with sparks of blue energy as he prepares to land his counter attack. He lowers his body slightly, waiting for the exact moment to spring away and land an attack of his own. The glitter in his blue eyes vanishes and begins to dull as he gathers bits of energy into the palms of his hands.

Lith leaps out of the way as the huge sword comes crashing down onto the earth, creating a small crater from the impact. Sparks of wavering energy flew around the crusader, demonstrating his immense strength to his opponent. He smirks as he spots Lith leaping towards the boundary created by the forest.

_All according to plan…_

As Lith prepares to launch the sparkling blue energy from his palms, a sudden surge of immense power pierces through his body, draining his energy slowly. His blue eyes widen at this sudden surge as he feels his powers being drained away. The blue sparks of energy begins to dissipate, much to his dismay. As he tries to leap away, another surge of power brings him to the ground, slowing down his every movement. Soon, he was brought down to his knees as if gravity had just increased several times on his body. He had felt this power before…

_NO!_

His mind screams as he jerks his head up. He glances at the forest behind him and notices several powerful mages and priests casting the seal and slow spell on him. Their faces were concealed by the shadows of the forest, but their bodies were completely still and focused on the spells. Bright glows emitted from their hands as they formed a triangle with their fingers in front of their chests.

_AN AMBUSH!_

Lith's mind screams again.

_Damn you Ellinia and your mages! I never liked you and never will…_

Lith's mind curses. He could feel his powers being sealed away and movement from his body slowed down tremendously. He quickly concluded that this was a hopeless situation and that he had low chances of escaping. His body begins to quiver as he quickly loses strength to hold it up. The crusader takes his chance to defeat his opponent with one, final blow.

Somewhere else in the dense forest west of the city of Henesys, Ellinia was making her way back to the city of Ellinia. She had been delivering some potions to be shipped off somewhere from Lith Harbor and was making her way back. She then decides to pay Henesys a visit, to see what he was up to.

Upon approaching the city, she notices that it was quite busy. People were constantly bumping into her and she was getting rather irritated. She could, of course, just blow all of them to smithereens, but then her presence would be obvious and she wanted to pay Henesys a _surprise_ visit. She smiles to herself upon his name. She sighs in excitement as she makes her way through the crowd.

Somewhere else in the crowd on the opposite side of the city, Henesys was also, trying to get through the crowd. He finds the gate leading to the park and enters it. The crowd was less dense here and he could finally take a breath without engulfing someone else's air. He takes advantage of it and takes a deep breath. The scent of fresh park air had never been so great. As he keeps walking, he notices several statues of himself, marvelously crafted might he add himself. He glances up at one skeptically with his hands in his pockets and wonders who could have crafted such fine piece of art. There was only one problem.

_I've never ridden a horse in my life…_

Henesys thinks to himself as he eyes the horse awkwardly. He continues walking through the park and admiring its beauty before he spots a bench he would want to sit in. He approaches the bench and takes a seat on it. The wood creaked beneath him as he sat down. He glances in front of him and notices rows of maple trees glimmering in the sun.

_If only life was always this beautiful…_

He thinks to himself as he admires the beauty of the trees. He relaxes his entire body, letting the bench take on all the weight. He leans back and places both of his arms over the back of the bench. He takes a deep breath in. As he exhales, a pair of soft hands was placed over his face from behind the bench. This made him jump and his body instantly tenses up, but the hands kept his head still. Henesys' breath instantly quickens with his heart rate from this sudden jolt. He then feels warm breath being blown to his face.

Soft lips then came in contact with Henesys' own lips, making him relax. He accepts the kiss fully and returns a passionate one of his own. The receiver moans in delight before releasing him.

"I could never get enough of your kisses, Henesys." A familiar voice rings through Henesys' ears.

_Ellinia…_

Henesys smirks. Ellinia removes her hands from his face and teleports herself in front of him to face him. She places her hands on her hips and smirks. Henesys smirks back and stands up from his seat. With one hand, he pulls Ellinia to him and embraces her with the other. He then tilts her head up from under her chin and gives her another kiss. He parts and gazes in her blue eyes.

"Enough yet?" He asks playfully. Ellinia giggles.

"Nope." She replies. Henesys plants another kiss on her lips before parting again.

"Enough now?" He asks again. Ellinia continues to giggle.

"Still not yet." She replies. Henesys pulls her in for one of the most passionate kisses a guy could ever give a girl, and heck yes, they were both enjoying it.

An old man clad in a ragged black cloak walks by and glances at the couple. His hood hides the majority of his face and body. The only visible feature was the smirk that was planted upon his lips.

_A smirk that dripped with malice…_


	11. Chapter 10: Jealousy

**Chapter 10: Jealousy**

Gentle winds swept through the grass and into the village of Amoria. The many hills surrounding the village made it extremely peaceful. The thin blades of grass danced with the wind as it swept through. Peace was the village of Amoria… peaceful and somber.

Hazel eyes graces from atop one of the hills that overlook a small stream of water nearby. The fresh, green grass dances before her eyes, creating a peaceful melody of nature. The sun was high in the sky and the clouds were passing by slowly. The stream shimmers like glitter before the hazel eyes. Tresses of golden hair brushes pass soft skin as the wind picks up slightly. The hazel eyes narrow slightly to adjust to the wind. Slow breaths escape the lips as the hazel eyes focuses on the scenery ahead.

"So this is how you spend you time, eh Amoria?" A familiar voice rings through her head from behind. A quiet breath was sucked in as the hazel eyes slightly widen in surprise. Sensing the Goddess of Magicians approach is like finding a piece of hay in a needle stack. Her expression then falls into a scowl.

"What it to you, Ellinia?" Her voice became sharp, and dull.

"Oh nothing. I just happen to be passing by on my way back to the forest from the harbor, and decided to drop by for a visit." Ellinia's voice became somewhat… fake.

"You don't pass by this village to get to the forest, and seeing you on these plains is as rare as a blue moon." Amoria says as she turns around to face Ellinia. Hazel eyes meet blue as Amoria fixes her eyes to Ellinia's.

"Then I guess it's going to be a blue moon tonight." Ellinia replies. She places her hands on her hips.

"Is there something you want?" Amoria asks, her voice was slowly turning cold. Ellinia was never one of her favorite people.

"Not something I want… something I need." Ellinia replies as she smirks. Amoria scoffs as she turns back around to face the scenery ahead once more. A small scowl creeps upon her face.

"Uhg, never." Amoria replies. She closes her eyes to feel the upcoming breeze approach. Ellinia sighs.

"Whatever." Ellinia says as she turns around. Sparks of energy snapped around her as she raises her hand in front of her. This caught Amoria's attention as she turns around slightly to inspect the source of the energy. A magical door materializes in front of Ellinia as sparks of energy flew in all directions. Amoria shields her face as the immense amounts of energy ripples through the grass. Ellinia casts one last glance at Amoria as a form of saying "good bye" and steps through the door. The door then vanishes, along with all the energy that sparks around it.

'She could have just used that door to begin with…' Amoria thinks to herself after the area returned to normal. She sighs and turns around to face the scenery once more, with many thoughts plaguing her head.

What was the purpose of her visit…? 

_She could have just used that door to return to her forest instead of walking through here…_

_What the hell is wrong with her…?_

Amoria closes her eyes and raises her head to enjoy the breeze that was sweeping pass her. She takes a deep breath in to refresh her lungs and her spirit. Her golden hair flickered behind her as they follow the breeze. Ripples in her long, white dress outlined her slim figure. The crisp, fresh air was quite enjoyable in the hills in the village of Amoria. Fresh… and peaceful.

Lady Amoria… 

A slightly raspy voice sounds. The hazel eyes loses their focus on the scenery ahead focuses on the voice. Amoria turns around halfway to face the owner of the voice. Strands of hair brushes pass her face as she shifts to face the wind. She notices an old man, dressed in rags standing before her, slightly bowed. He looked like an ordinary wise, old man. He had a soft expression, with a kind face. There was just something about him that set him apart from all the other old men… something…

"Yes?" She asks politely. It was always important to show respect to the elders, no matter what their past. Her voice rang through the ears of the old man.

"Lady Amoria, excuse me. I was just passing by and I just happen to see you. You are most beautiful I must admit, just like that statue that stood in the cathedral. It would please an old man like myself to have a word with you." The old man says in a kind tone. Amoria eyes this old man skeptically and concludes that it would be of no harm to have a word.

"Very well… what is it?" Amoria inquires. The old man's eyes shift to the ground as his expression saddens.

"I have heard news from passing travelers in town that you might be interested in." The old man begins. This caught Amoria's attention slightly. Her hazel eyes were now focused on what this man had to say.

"I might…" Amoria says, urging him to spill the news.

"I heard from a few passing gossipers some bad news. The great god of water, Lith, had been found dead in the meadows near the harbor. Depressing news indeed." The man says. Amoria let out a small gasp as the information starts to sink in.

No… Lith… 

"How do I know if your words can be trusted?" Amoria asks.

"An old man like myself has no reason to lie. If you may find fault upon my words, then please, feel free to slay me where I stand." The old man replies. Amoria observes his expression and finds no fault in his words. She shifts her eyes away and onto the ground.

Lith… 

A scowl returns to her face as she focuses her attention back to the old man. Her mind falls into turmoil and grief and her ability to think straight falters. Lith was always close to her. He was always someone she could talk to whenever she was in distress. She was always honest with him and vice versa. He was like a brother to her. Losing him would not settle easily.

"Argh! This cannot be happening." Sparks of energy began to fly around Amoria, singeing the grass around her. Anger was apparent on her expression and the old man couldn't help but smirk to himself.

"Who killed him? WHO DID IT?!" Amoria's voice began to rise. Flames of anger and hatred burned in her eyes.

"The culprit was unidentified, but he was found with his powers sealed and claw marks on him. I would think it be a magician of some sort." The old man replies, cowering slightly from the angry goddess.

"A… magician…?!" Amoria's anger increases. Sparks of pink colored energy continue to fly around her.

"Yes, and I also found out something else that you might want to know." Amoria calms down slightly to hear what this old man had to say. The old man takes this cue to speak.

"I spotted the Goddess of Magicians in the city of Henesys. Her actions would prove much to your dislike…" The old man begins.

"Ellinia… in… the city of Henesys?" Amoria asks coldly. She knew where this was going, and she was definitely not liking it.

"The god of Archers was with her." That was it. She could take it no longer. The area around them rippled with flashes of energy as they emitted from Amoria. She was now beyond angry. The raging turmoil in her head started to drive her vengeance. She growls loudly as she storms off towards the northeast, taking with her, her energy… and the peace within her spirit.

_You will pay, Ellinia._

_For killing Lith…_

And taking my Henesys away from me… 

The old man was left standing where he was as he watches her walk away raging in anger. He smirks as he turns to walk the opposite direction. As he approaches the forest south of the village of Amoria towards the city of Henesys, his shadows slowly engulf him as the form of the old man disappears. The shadows then return to the ground as the old man morphs into a new form. The new form had a taller, more slender body. Strands of golden hair fell upon its face, as hazel eyes gazes into the city of Henesys from atop a hill. Then, it vanishes into the busy, city crowd.

In the thick forest of Ellinia, monsters of all kinds began to flee as they sense the approaching danger. Amoria's anger had not settled as she approached the forest. Her raging fury of energy ripped and scarred the tall trees and vines as she passed. The energy snapped around her and damaged everything it touched.

_I will destroy you._

Her mind was set. Nothing in the world could change her decision now.

Ellinia had just reached the city at the heart of the forest when she senses the disturbance. Her eyes narrow as she turns back around to enter the thick forest once more.

What do you want now, Amoria? 

She thinks to herself as she identifies the aura… not to mention the hoards of energy she was giving off. Ellinia approaches a clearing and waits for the arrival of Amoria.

There was an unsettling feeling in her stomach. She concentrates her energy as glitters sparkled around her. Her Magic Guard would protect her from Amoria. She closes her eyes and forms a triangle with her fingers in front of her to focus her energy on her Meditation skill, which increases her powers. The light to that skill fades into a deep shade of pink as a bright light bursts from the ground, surrounding her body and increasing her sensitivity and mental powers. The light then fades as she opens her eyes. She was ready to face Amoria.

Amoria's wrath did not go unnoticed as she approaches the clearing where Ellinia was. They were close to the heart of the forest where the city was laid hidden. Amoria senses Ellinia ahead and continue to approach the clearing, with vengeance blocking every thought. Energy continued to spark around her as she steps into the clearing. Her angry hazel colored eyes met with calm, blue ones.

Rays of sunlight barely pierced through the thick canopy from high above. The air was moist, and the clearing before them served as the perfect battlefield.

"Ellinia…" Amoria begins as she glares at Ellinia. Ellinia raises an eyebrow. She could feel that Amoria will attack her, so she prepares herself to evade her attack.

"DIE." Amoria yells as she swipes the air in front of her with huge amounts of force, sending hoards of pink energy snaking through the ground towards Ellinia. Ellinia gasps and teleports off to the side, avoiding the attack. The energy snakes its way up one of the tall trees, splitting it completely in half. Amoria was not finished.

"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?!" Ellinia yells back at Amoria. Before she could get a reply, another stream of energy trembled through the surface of the ground towards her. She could not teleport quick enough to avoid it and instead, thrust out her palm to try to deflect it. Golden wings formed above her as her palms glowed a soft yellow. Her Dispel tactic fails as Amoria's attack hits her full force. She is thrown back slightly as she blocks her face with her left arm. The stinging feeling of pain was all over her body as the dust cleared. She was now struggling to keep her body up as one knee falls to the ground. A green light surrounds her as she quickly heals herself. The stinging pain from her body disappears.

"WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU!?" Ellinia shouts at Amoria. Anger was still plastered on Amoria's face, and now, it was on Ellinia's face as well. Ellinia rises from the ground growling and slashes the air in front of her with her right hand. Slices of energy flew through the air towards Amoria as Amoria quickly sets up her barrier.

The slices of energy formed claw marks against Amoria's barrier as it impacted, shattering it and causing Amoria to shield her face with her arms.

"YOU… IT WAS YOU THAT KILLED HIM." Amoria screams as she leaps into the air. She quickly closes the distance between Ellinia and herself and attempts to grab Ellinia by the neck. Ellinia evades Amoria by teleporting away. Ellinia lands gracefully nearby at the edge of the clearing.

"What are you talking about?!" Ellinia screams back. She finds herself teleporting away once more as streams of pink colored energy surges through the ground towards her. She lands on one knee away from the attack. She could see that the ground was scarred from Amoria's attacks and seeing her forest damaged made her angry. Amoria was slowly approaching her once more with balls of energy in her palms.

"You killed Lith." Amoria says with a growl as she throws the balls of energy at Ellinia. Ellinia quickly regains her composure and forms a triangle with her fingers in front of her. A ray of blue energy surrounds her as wings formed above her. Amoria's balls of energy explode in mid air as they approached Ellinia. She concentrates more on her attack and the wings above her flap once. Her Shining Ray hits Amoria and sends her crashing into a nearby tree. Pain surges through Amoria's body as her body comes in contact with the tree's large trunk. She stumbles forward as the debris clear.

"I did not kill Lith." Ellinia states as she creates a bow made of fire. She draws a fire arrow and takes aim at Amoria. Amoria growls and leaps forward towards Ellinia in great speeds. Ellinia releases the fire arrow and it flies through the air towards the approaching Amoria. Amoria sees the fire arrow coming towards her and quickly gathers energy around her to deflect the arrow away without changing her course. The fire arrow slides pass her and into a tree nearby, instantly dissipating. Amoria lands in front of Ellinia and swipes at her sideways with her hand. Ellinia leaps backwards, completely avoiding the attack.

"You.. Whore." Amoria's voice became sharp and cold as she regains her composure. Ellinia was a few yards in front of her. Her hand was on the ground and her legs were far apart as she recovered from the sudden spring backwards. Ellinia narrows her eyes and pants. She then sends energy into the ground and in response, the ground shot up a ray of orange light around Ellinia. Amoria stands and watches Ellinia's next move. Before Amoria could react, a large explosion takes place in front of her, throwing her backwards and sliding on the ground. Pain continues to scream through her body.

"I told you, I did NOT kill Lith!" Ellinia shouts at Amoria. Amoria pulls herself up from the ground and onto her feet. Labored breaths came from her lips. Her white dress now had tears along its seams.

"Do not lie to me. I KNOW you killed him." Amoria declares as she narrows her eyes. She continues to breathe hard. Her hands began to form fists.

"I did NOT KILL HIM!" Ellinia shouts back as ice forms in her palms. She throws the shard of ice at Amoria. Amoria leaps out of the way as the ice hits the ground, freezing the spot where she stood. Amoria then claws at the air in front of her, sending pieces of energy flying towards Ellinia. Ellinia forms a triangle with her fingers in front of her and a wall of ice-blue energy shot up from the ground. Amoria's pieces of energy disappear in the wall of ice-blue energy. Pieces of ice flew from the wall of ice-blue energy towards Amoria as she quickly leapt away to dodge them. The large shards of ice stuck to the ground as Amoria dodges them. She soon finds herself yards away from Ellinia.

Ellinia takes this chance to land her attack as she quickly leaps from her barrier of ice-blue energy towards Amoria. Sparks of electricity surges through Ellinia's arm as a spear forms in her palms. She lands in front of Amoria and thrusts the Thunder Spear into her body. Bolts of electricity surround them, and Ellinia leaps away to a safer distance. The singeing pain surging through Amoria body was almost unbearable. Electricity sparked from her body as the Thunder Spear dissipates. Amoria screams in agony and falls to the ground on her hands and knees. After the electricity clears, Amoria finds herself breathing heavily. Ellinia was also breathing heavily as her energy was being drained from the countless attacks.

"I HATE YOU!" Amoria shouts at Ellinia as she thrusts her head up. She grips the dirt from the ground and grits her teeth. Ellinia glares at her. Amoria then thrusts both of her hands onto the ground fiercely and huge amounts of energy began to surge through towards Ellinia. Ellinia holds up both of her hands in front of her as a triangular symbol glowed behind her. Amoria's full force attack hits Ellinia. Ellinia screams as she could feel the attack hit against her flesh as she struggles to absorb Amoria's attack. She managed to absorb most of it as some energy still damaged her. Amoria glances up to view the result of her assault and was stunned when she saw Ellinia still standing. Much to her dismay, a pink glow surrounded Ellinia's hands as she finds her attack surging through the ground towards her. Ellinia had absorbed her attack and was now throwing it back at her!

Amoria barely evades the attack as she leaps away and lands nearby. She falls to the ground on her knee from the lack of energy. They were both panting heavily from exhaustion. Ellinia was now extremely frustrated. She screams as she gathers her energy into one, final attack. Amoria continues to breathe heavily as she watches Ellinia. Her body was aching and wanting to just lie there and rest.

A bright, golden light surrounds Ellinia as she forms a triangle with her fingers. She closes her eyes so she could focus more on her attack. The bright, golden light began to fill the forest around them and it lit up the canopy in the trees high, high above. Amoria's eyes widen as she prepares to dodge the upcoming attack. The glittering Magic Guard around Ellinia begins to fade as she uses the remaining power she had to execute this final attack. If it failed… all will be over. The bright light grew brighter and Amoria was forced to shield her eyes.

"GENESIS!" Ellinia cries as her eyes open, revealing a pupiless glow. Then, rays of bright light fell from above, destroying everything that came in its path. Amoria dodges several rays as they hit the ground, as they create massive craters as they hit. More rays fell from above as Amoria was forced to quickly dodge, or incinerate in the rays of bright light. The only safe place to be was…

Ellinia… 

Amoria dodges more and more rays as she made her way towards Ellinia. Ellinia could not control her rays of light, and her energy was almost completely drained. Soon, Amoria came within a few yards of Ellinia and it was too late. Amoria leaps and uses her body weight to drag Ellinia to the ground. Ellinia's body gives in and comes crashing onto the hard, cold ground. The surrounding bright light fades as rays of light stopped falling from above. Pieces of Ellinia's black tresses fall onto her face as she lies there on the ground, completely exhausted, and with Amoria on top of her.

Amoria was also exhausted. She lacked the strength to barely move after using it to dodge the rays of light and knock Ellinia to the ground below her. Amoria's head rested on Ellinia's shoulder as she catches her breath. Ellinia has a hard time breathing from Amoria's weight over her chest. The ground around them was completely destroyed, and debris was starting to clear. The forest grew quiet once more.

Amoria then finds the strength to lift her body up and off of Ellinia. She falls to the side and her body refuses to move. She continues to breathe heavily. Ellinia gasps for breath after the weight had been removed from her chest. She closes her eyes so that her body could focus more on breathing. She then opens her eyes and glances up at the canopy of the trees. The sky was now visible high, high above. It was dark, and the stars glittered down on them. Ellinia smiles.

"So this is what it came to, eh Amoria?" Ellinia manages to choke out. Amoria was also lying on her back nearby with her eyes closed.

"Shut… up…" Amoria didn't want to talk. She just wanted to rest there on the ground.

"Henesys… will never love you after what you did to me… he always loved me more…" Ellinia finishes as she closes her eyes. She takes one last breath and… falls silent.

Amoria opens her eyes and glances up at the night sky. The stars sparkled down at her. Her vision starts to blur as tears slid down her cheeks. She closes her eyes once more, and takes the rest that her body had been craving.

The stars continue to glimmer down at them. The harsh battle between them was finally over. Only one would ever see the glimmer of the stars again.


	12. Chapter 11: Deception

**Chapter 11: Deceptions**

The mid-morning dew glimmers on a straight piece of grass as the sun's rays beats down upon it. The morning was quiet; the birds refused to sing its morning melodies. The wind was still, and a melancholy presence hovered over the fields. The crisp morning air was unmoved--for there were no lungs to breathe it in--and the stillness of the morning brought chills down a spineless creature.

_SWOOF!_

The quick movement of a shadow strips the grass of its morning dew, leaving it bare and alone to soak in the sun. The shadow continues through the barren fields, moving in a zig-zag formation towards its destination. The grass wavers as it passes through them, shaking off the excess dew on their blades. A row of trees could prove to be a useless barrier as the shadow passes through them easily.

Out from the row of trees sat a trail leading deeper into the park. Benches were laid out on the sides for travelers to sit down and rest. The dark shadow--seemingly a glob of bubbling black liquid--positions itself onto a bench on the side of the trail. The glob of black liquid begins to change form as it slowly solidifies. A faint outline of a body sitting on the bench could be seen... if any eyes were there to watch.

Tresses of golden hair fell upon a delicate face as the dark liquid starts to disappear. The figure of a woman appeared in place of the glob of black liquid. The woman opens her eyes to reveal eyes of hazel. An ominous aura hovers around her as her empty body springs to life. Her hazel colored eyes hid the dark tints of black just below the surface. She takes a breath to breathe life into a lifeless body... and an empty heart.

Footsteps could be heard as a figure approaches. The morning rays brought out a vibrant shade of brown upon this figure's head. His topaz colored eyes gleamed from underneath his strands of hair. His gloved hands were placed in his pockets as he was relaxingly strolling through the park. The woman keeps her seat on the bench without acknowledging him approaching. He set his topaz colored eyes onto the familiar delicate face and golden hair and begins to walk towards her. The woman continues to stare at the ground, with no mind to think for herself.

"Amoria? What are you doing here?" The man asks. His eyes soften as he grabs hold of the hands on her lap.

"You're so cold, are you alright?" He asks her with worry in his voice. She continues to stare at the ground in front of her.

"I'm fine." She replies bluntly.

"No you are not. Something's wrong. Tell me. You know i love you." He pleas with her. He grips her hand firmly. She lifts her head and takes a glance at him. Her hazel eyes meet his topaz ones as they engage in a staring contest. Henesys looks deeply into her eyes to try to find the answer... but her eyes were... empty...? He becomes confused.

To his surprise, she lunges herself into his arms and begins bawling in tears. She wraps her arms around him and cries on his chest. It takes him a few moments to register the scene in front of him before he pulls her into an embrace. He notices that her entire body was deprived of warmth as he tightens his embrace. He pats the back of her head to lighten her sobs, hoping to provide her with more comfort.

"What happened?" He asks in a soft tone. She lifts her body away from his and wipes away the tears from her face. Henesys reaches over to help clear her eyes of tears with his thumb. His glove absorbed her tears as his thumb came in contact with them. She then captures his topaz colored eyes with her own.

"Kerning raped me." She says suddenly. So sudden that it takes Henesys a few moments to realize what she had just said.

"...What?" He says while hoping he heard wrong. She remains silent as she shifts her gaze to the side.

"He... raped you?" He asks softly. She lowers her gaze towards the ground. Tears begin to swell up in her eyes again.

Henesys lifts himself up from the bench so suddenly that her gaze returns to him in surprise. She looks up at him.

"Don't worry, I'll get him." He says calmly with anger dripping from his voice. A golden bow materializes in his hand as he storms away. She watches as his body disappears from beyond the park's gates. The last tear falls from her cheeks. She smirks.

The glob of black liquid springs out from behind her and engulfs her entire body in its malice, liquidfying and returning her to the empty shadow she was. The glob of black liquid springs from the seat on the bench and into the forest behind it, seemingly to vanish into the field behind it. The last drop of tear vanishes right before coming into contact with the cold, hard ground.

Outside the grand city of Henesys laid a hunting ground where common warriors of all types trained at. Most young warriors train here to gain more experience before going out into the wilderness to train. Monsters were plentiful here and the warriors used them to become stronger.

As a young man was about to lay his finishing blow onto the snail, the snail all of a sudden hides in its shell. As that snail hid in its shell, all the other snails also began to hide in their shells. The green slimes began to take refuge in the trees and the tree stumps stood still, trying to blend in with the surrounding trees. The green mushrooms hid their arms and closed their eyes as they too tried to blend in with their surroundings. The orange mushrooms stopped hopping around and hid behind the trees. The warriors all looked at each other, utterly confused.

"What's going on?!" A young bowman yells out. As to answer his question, screams of the other men in the hunting ground caused him to turn around. A flaming orange mushroom comes flying towards him as he ducks just in time. The orange mushroom hits a tree behind him, catching that tree on fire as well. The only thing left of the orange mushroom was its flaming orange cap against the now flaming tree. His eyes widen in shock as he shifts his gaze back to the scene in front of him. A man with brown hair and topaz colored eyes approaches him holding a golden bow. An angry aura seems to be filling the air around him. The young man notices that behind him were the corpses of the screaming men burning in dark orange flames. He becomes horrified as Henesys approaches him. He closes his eyes to await his fate.

_But it never came_.

He opens them again to find that the man holding that golden bow had walked right passed him without any contact at all. He sighs in relief before he takes his chance to run away. Henesys continues to walk on to the west, towards the hills that will lead him to Kerning.

In the thick forest north east of the village of Amoria, heavy pants could be heard. The warm afternoon sun manages to send its rays through the canopy of leaves and onto a gentle face. Pale colored skin lines this face as hazel eyes struggle to keep open. The path ahead was beginning to lose focus as the slender woman trudges between the trees. Every step was getting heavier and her body screamed at her to stop and rest. The trees became her support as she uses them to hold herself up. Slight rustles could be heard as gentle winds sweep pass the leaves.

A bright light could be seen up ahead. The bright light seemed twice as blissful to this battered woman. Her slow breaths and tired body adds to the illusion of the heavens. The rows of trees seem to end where the light was brightest. As she approaches the last row of trees, she promptly hangs onto

the tree, for fears of tumbling down the hill beyond. She eyes the familiar scene before her.

The sparkling blue river was cut deep into the valley, snaking its way to the other side. Small hills ladden the valley with height and grass. Trees provided shade for the weary travelers that happen to stop by. Beyond the hills to the right, a marvelous city sat in peace. Faint sounds of church bells could be heard coming from the city.

_I'm finally back..._

Amoria thinks to herself. She carefully makes her way down the hill and onto the valley below. A large tree atop a hill next to the river became her next destination. The cool shade under the tree called for her tired body as she suddenly finds the strength to trudge up another hill towards the tree. Each step was tiresome and her body wanted to collapse even more. As the ground levels beneath the tree, the large roots that sprang from the tree became visible. She walks over and takes a seat underneath the tree. The large roots of the tree seem to cradle her in its arms as she drifts off to sleep.

_The sleep her body had been craving for..._

The clouds above drift peacefully above the village of Amoria, casting light shadows where ever they went. The warm mid-afternoon sun provided much warmth for the inhabitants below. The air in the village of Amoria was always clean and crisp. The city was well decorated and every so often the church bells would go off, signalling another marriage. The day moves slowly as the sun races across the skies. Soon, the moon is up and the stars begin their nightly twinkles.

In the city of Kerning, much activities goes on at night. The numerous thieves hiding out in the city would begin their nightly raids and create havoc across the city. Tonight however, was much different. The thieves had decided to lay low, and for once, the city was at peace... for the night. The king of thieves however, was restless.

_What are you doing, Henesys...?_

Kerning thinks to himself. He was currently sitting on top of a branch in a tree in the forest north of the city of Kerning. He returns his gaze up to the skies at the moon and the sparkling stars around it.

_Why are you flaring up your energy like that... It's making everyone restless._

Kerning returns his gaze downward towards the ground. In a blink of an eye, he vanishes from the tree branch. His swift shadow struggles to keep up with him as he hops from tree branch to tree branch through the city of Kerning.The ominous aura of Henesys guides Kerning straight to him.

The peaceful dark sky begins to fill with clouds. The moving grey clouds hid the ground from the moonlight. Swift winds began to blow as it begins to drizzle slightly. Henesys' brown hair ruffles with the oncoming wind as he nears the city of Kerning. He then stops in his tracks. The wind continues to blow as the drops of rain splattered against his face. Kerning leaps from a tree in great speed and lands in front of Henesys. His wet hair covers half his face. The woods south of the city of Kerning provided the perfect setting for a battle.

"What do you want Henesys?" Kerning inquires sharply. He was serious. Henesys narrows his eyes and grips his golden bow in his hand. He holds up his bow and draws an arrow from it. He takes aim at Kerning. A bolt of lightning flashes across the sky, and the boom of thunder soon follows.

"What is the meaning of this?" Kerning continues. His mind was confused at why Henesys is aiming at him. Henesys snarls and releases his arrow. Kerning gasps as the arrow comes hurling towards him. He flash jumps out of the way as the arrow flies pass him and hits a tree nearby. Kerning lands nearby and glances back at Henesys. Henesys' energy began to flare once again.

"WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM?!" Kerning yells back at him. Henesys fires another arrow at him. Kerning flash jumps out of the way once again.

"You're my problem." Henesys says coldly. He was taking steady breaths to try to compress his anger. This time, Henesys concentrates his energy into his next attack. He takes aim at Kerning once more.

"WHAT?! WHAT DID I DO?!" Kerning yells as he prepares to flash jump away once more.

"YOU!" Henesys' anger could not be suppressed any longer. His eyes flashed with hatred as he releases his attack. A set of four arrows flew from his bow and towards Kerning. Kerning manages to dodge all four arrows, but received a slight flesh wound on his left arm from the last arrow. He grunts as he lands and drops to one knee. He breathes heavily and holds his left arm only to feel warm blood trickling from the wound. He growls in frustration.

"Have you gone mad?!" Kerning was still confused. Henesys draws arrows from his bow again and takes aim. Kerning leaps out of the way as the arrows came towards him, and receives another flesh wound to his left leg. He lands and falls to one knee again. Crimson blood began to soak through the fabric of his pants. The light drizzle soon turns into a rain shower as more flashes of lightning streaked across the sky followed by roars of thunder.

"If you want a fight, I won't hold back." Kerning says as the rain continues to pour down on them. Henesys' drenched brown hair covers his eyes. Kerning growls.

"I have no idea what I did to you, but whatever it is, I didn't do it." Kerning says as he holds his fist in front of him. Swirls of blue energy circles his right arm and a Blue Caster spirals up his arm.

_And he dares deny it?_

Henesys thinks to himself. This made him even more angry. He grits his teeth in anger and takes the stance for one of his most powerful moves. He moves his right leg far back and draws a glowing golden arrow back. A golden glow appears in front of his bow. The blinding glow forms a circle with two pairs of wings around it. Waves of massive energy continues to emit from Henesys through the ground. Kerning's heart rate increases as he stares into the circle and at Henesys.

'What is this guy doing? Is he this serious on killing me? What did i even do?!' Kerning thinks to himself.

"WHAT DID I DO TO YOU TO MAKE YOU SO ANGRY?! AT LEAST TELL ME BEFORE YOU TRY TO KILL ME!" Kerning yells out with a hint of sarcasm in his voice. Flashes of lightning soared overhead. Henesys narrows his eyes.

'Are you kidding me. You can't beat me, I'm too fast for you... I was always too fast for you. These minor injuries are nothing.' Kerning thinks to himself as he prepares to evade.

"You raped Amoria." Henesys says before he releases his attack. Kerning's eyes widen in shock as the arrows flew at him. He scrambles to get out of the way as streams of hundreds of arrows flew at him all in a straight line. They were as fast as bullets and as deadly too. Small holes were made on the ground as the arrows misses Kerning. Kerning then leaps into the air to avoid Henesys' Hurricane attack and takes his chance to counter attack. Ilbis throwing stars appears in his hand as he throws them towards Henesys with great accuracy. Henesys shifts his bow upward towards Kerning and releases more arrows at him. Kerning's throwing stars narrowly misses Henesys' glowing bullets of arrows and hits the mark. The throwing stars sends a cut down Henesys' left forearm, ripping through his glove and sleeve. Henesys' attack stops as he drops his bow. Crimson blood began to trickle down his arm. Kerning lands yards away with a deep flesh wound above his left shoulder. His breathing becomes labored. Small gusts of wind blew the icy rain against their faces like sharp needles of ice.

Henesys holds his left forearm in pain. The dark color of blood continues to stain his left sleeve. Henesys kneels down to pick up his bow with his right hand.

"I did not rape Amoria." Kerning tries to defend himself. He winces at the pain of his injured shoulder. Henesys looks up and glares at him.

"She has no reason to lie to me. If she wanted to frame you, she would have done so long time ago. And she's not a character to lie." Henesys claims. He stands up and holds the bow with his left hand.

"And what if she did?! All I know is that I didn't rape her. I was nowhere NEAR her!" Kerning yells back.

"ENOUGH OF YOUR LIES!" Henesys' anger rages on. He stiffens his left arm and prepares to fire another round of arrows. Kerning becomes frustrated.

"What can I do to convince him... But then again, once his mind is set on something, it's impossible to change it. Then I guess this is it. We'll finally have to fight each other... Somehow I knew it would come to this...' Kerning thinks to himself. Henesys winces as pain surges through his left arm. His grip weakens and was forced to stop his attack. He lowers his bow as his right hand grips his left forearm. Kerning sees his chances and throws a round of stars at Henesys. As the stars came within yards of Henesys, he twirls his bow and sends the stars flying into a tree to his left. Kerning's jaw drops. Henesys switches his bow to his right hand.

'What the hell...' Kerning thinks to himself. He concentrates his energy around him as he begins to power up. A shrouding shadow forms behind him as his energy flares up. Henesys begins to charge at him with his bow in his right hand. Kerning throws rounds of stars towards Henesys at a speed almost matching his. Henesys sees the stars coming towards him and he leaps up from the ground to evade. Henesys then lands in front of Kerning and swipes the sharper edge of his bow in front of him. Kerning was then caught off guard as he tries to jump back, but fails. He receives a deep cut across his chest as the force of Henesys' bow throws him back and into a tree. The tree rattled forcefully as leaves and branches rained down on them. Kerning falls on his bottom on the ground. The rain from the sky above continued to pour down on them, completely drenching them both.

The pain surged through Kerning's chest was unreal. He has never received a wound like this before, and his body was still getting use to its immense pain. And the person to inflict him with this pain was none other than a man he called his "friend". His right hand reaches for the wound. As soon as his hand came in contact with the wound, more pain surges through his body. He winces at the sensation then takes another look at his hand. Warm blood ran in between his fingers. It was like a wound to his heart. Would a friend really do this to another friend?

_He is not my friend._

Kerning realizes as he rises from his seat under the tree. He clenches his fist as he glared back at Henesys... only to find Henesys glaring back at him. The clash between blue and topaz colored eyes seem to rage their own war. A war that has been going on ever since the day they met. The war for power... and the war for love.

_AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!_

Kerning screams in agony and in anger. The thought of losing a friend and a love was just too much. His voice echoes through the woods as the storm above rages on. If Henesys was so ready to kill him, then the friendship they had was already over... or perhaps there was never a friendship there at all? Kerning's anger began to rise as his energy flares around him. Small drops of blood dripped from the tip of Henesys' bow. As the lightning flashes above, the light reflects off the sharp edge of Henesys' golden bow. Henesys charges at Kerning once more with his bow in front of him. A blue light gathers around Kerning's Caster as he prepares to fire another round of stars. He then throws his stars as spirals of blue energy encircles them, creating what seems like a dragon flying through the air towards Henesys. Henesys' eyes widen and stops in his tracks. He quickly draws an arrow from his bow with his left hand and fires it straight at the oncoming dragon. The arrow comes in contact with the first star and the collision of energy caused it to combust, creating a large explosion. The explosion throws both of them backwards and into a tree, forcefully rattling them as leaves and branches fell to the ground. A cloud of smoke blinded their visions for a while.

Henesys and Kerning got back up to their feet by the time the smoke had cleared. Cold, icy rain continued to pour from above, stinging their skin like a thousand needles. They both took in labored breaths as they glared at each other. Their battered clothes clung to their skin as the rain drips down from them. Henesys holds his golden bow in front of him with both hands. Kerning's Blue Caster begins to glow as it transforms into a silver Varkit. He then charges full speed towards Henesys with his Varkit in hand. Henesys prepares to defend as he takes his defensive stance. As Kerning came within yards of Henesys, he vanishes into thin air for a split second before reappearing in front of Henesys. Henesys was caught off guard as he desperately tries to counter attack by swiping his bow in front of him. Kerning ducks down from Henesys' blow and smirks. He got him.

Henesys gasps. Kerning then attacks Henesys from point blank range with his Savage Blow technique, jabbing Henesys several times with great speed with his Varkit and inflicting immense damage. Henesys falls backwards and onto the ground. The pain on Henesys' chest now rivals Kerning's. Kerning continues his labored breathing as he drops to one knee. Henesys continues to lay on his back as the rain ran down his face. His breathing was labored too. Kerning grips his injured shoulder. Henesys sits up and gets back up onto his feet. and holds his bow to his side with his right hand.

"I didn't... rape her." Kerning says in between breaths. Henesys continues his heavy breathing. He glances up at Kerning.

"I'll prove to you that I didn't do it." Kerning says as he stands up straight. The Varkit in his hand begins to glow and it vanishes. Kerning's energy then slowly diminishes and fades away. He completely unarms himself. Henesys eyes him with questions in his mind.

'What is this fool doing?' He thinks to himself. Kerning then unstraps the armor going across his chest. It falls to the ground with a thud. He then removes his Silver Identity from his head and drops it to the ground, revealing his head of black hair. He looks Henesys in the eye and raises his arms to the level of his shoulders. Henesys raises his bow and draws an arrow. The numbing coldness from the rain seem to numb his left arm.

"I really didn't rape Amoria. If you still believe that I am lying, then shoot me. I am completely unarmed. There is no other way to prove to you that I didn't rape her." Kerning says as he closes his eyes. Millions of thoughts and flashbacks runs across Kerning's mind like a movie.

In this flashback, there was a huge dining table in a huge dining hall. Henesys, Kerning, and Lith were gathered here to celebrate the victory over a powerful monster. Foods of all kinds were brought out and placed on the table. Laughter rang about the hall of happiness and of glory...

_How did that happiness and glory come to this...?_

Kerning thinks to himself as his flashback stops. He opens an eye to take a peek at what Henesys was doing. He sees Henesys standing there with an arrow drawn. His left hand was shaking slightly. Kerning closes his eyes again.

_I really didn't rape Amoria. If you still believe that I am lying, then shoot me. I am completely unarmed. There is no other way to prove to you that I didn't rape her..._

Kerning's voice echoes through Henesys' head as he takes aim. Lightning flashes above their heads as thunder follows soon after. The rain continues to pour. A warm drop of rain suddenly falls on Kerning's face. Kerning becomes intrigued at this warm drop of rain that has landed on his cheek.

Henesys fires the arrow.

...and Kerning falls to the ground...


	13. Chapter 12: Misconceptions Part 1

**Chapter 12: Misconceptions Part 1**

The air was breezy and fair at the Village of Amoria. The sky was a beautiful shade of light blue. The noon sun bathed down on them, and not a cloud was in sight to block its rays. The grass below swayed peacefully to the breeze. The blooming flowers held onto their petals tightly, as if they were afraid the wind would snatch it away. It has been a fair day so far.

The sound of a carrier pigeon's call filled the air in a quiet park near the village. A tender finger lifts up in the air to catch the bird as it landed. A note was attached to the breast of the pigeon. The pigeon flies away as soon as the note was delivered.

The note reads:

_Dearest Amoria, I am on my way towards the city of Warriors to meet with my brother. I'll meet you there. -Henesys_

Amoria looks up from the note. A breeze sweeps pass and carries the note along with it. Strands of golden hair falls upon Amoria's gentle face.

"I guess I'm going to visit Perion..." Amoria says to herself with a smile. The village had gifted her a beautiful red kimono with pink and white sakura petal embroideries to replace her battered white dress. Her golden slippers were still on her feet as she made her way south towards the city of Henesys. It was from there that she trecked north towards the city of Perion.

The pigeon that delivered Amoria her note makes its way towards the ground. A glob of black liquid engulfs the bird before it touches the ground and in its place, a puddle of black liquid vibrates. The ominous aura spilling from the liquid sent nearby monsters fleeing for their lives. The liquid then materializes into a cloaked figure. A black hood covers its face, except for that malicious smile plastered upon its lips.

Elsewhere on the island of Victoria, a battered and heavily wounded Henesys staggers northward, away from the fallen ruins known as Kerning City. The noon sun had just begun peering through the treetops above him, casting the silhouette of leaves upon Henesys' bruised face. There were very few clouds in the sky, as the storm in the previous night had long moved on to a place far away.

Henesys continues to stagger forward; occasionally using trees for support as he hastily nurses his bandaged wounds. His clothes were full of tears as he looks like a wounded soldier looking for shelter. A slight breeze rustles through his hair as it removes bits of dirt and dried blood that still clung onto his hair from his battle the night before. His hazel colored eyes were still filled with hurt, remorse, and… determination.

_I really didn't rape Amoria. If you still believe that I am lying, then shoot me. I am completely unarmed. There is no other way to prove to you that I didn't rape her._

Kerning's voice could still be heard in Henesys' head. Henesys then places his hand on his forehead in frustration, as if he was trying to rid Kerning's voice from his throbbing head.

"WHY WON'T YOU JUST LEAVE ME ALONE?!" Henesys yells out to no one in particular as he continues to hold his head. A flock of startled birds nearby took off into the sky. Henesys grunts and leans onto a nearby tree for support while still holding his head. Then he slowly lowers himself to the ground with his weight still against the tree, stripping the tree of its outermost bark.

The sun continues to peep through the leaves above him as he rests. Henesys' breath became heavy and he clutches his left arm. Pain continues to surge through his wounded arm as he winces in pain. The bandages were soiled with blood as they were hastily put on by a wandering traveler that he had crossed paths with early in the morning. Henesys' vision begins to blur as the world around him seems to vanish right before his eyes. He then lowers his head and falls into a deep sleep as the sun continues to shine its soft rays through the leaves above him.

The city of Henesys was bustling with booming businesses under the mid afternoon sun. Merchants and travelers alike filled the streets with their voices as they exchanged and purchased food, equipment, and supplies. There were rows and rows of merchants setting up small shops as travelers and locals gather around to take a look at what the merchants had to offer.

Elsewhere in the city of Henesys, a large group of powerful warriors of all classes has gathered in one of the city's many small parks. The one seemingly in charge was a buff looking Hero of the warrior class. He was standing on top of a platform giving orders and instructions.

"GOOD AFTERNOON MY COMRADS. WE ARE GATHERED HERE TODAY TO PROTECT THE LIVES OF OUR FELLOW PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN THREATENED BY A NEW FOE WITH UNSPEAKABLE POWERS." He starts with his booming loud voice. The attention of every single person has been diverted towards him.

"Excuse me, but who are you?" An arrogant Night Lord of the thief class questions. The buff looking Hero giving instructions turns his gaze towards the Night Lord.

"I am Gregory of the Hero class. I shall be your guide and leader to defeating this new foe." He addresses. The Night Lord scoffs and rolls his eyes as he crosses his arms across his chest.

"Just listen to Gregory, I heard there is a huge reward for the person that brings back the head of one of the gods that were released." A neighboring Night Lord whispers to the other Night Lord. This catches the attention of that Night Lord.

"Now that that is cleared, I need each and every one of you to help in this quest to save our people! These gods and goddesses possess enough power to wipe out entire cities with a blink of an eye, and we cannot allow anything with that kind of power roaming freely around our cities!" Gregory exclaims as he shakes his fist in the air. Cheers and applause could be heard throughout the audience as they agree to his statement.

"Join my army as I guide you towards slaying these power hungry monsters that are threatening our people! Every single one of you shall be rewarded greatly for slaying these monsters and you shall be known as true heroes to the whole entire world!" More applause and cheers could be heard as Gregory ignites a flaming desire in his new and powerful army.

"SO WHO'S WITH ME?!" Gregory finishes his speech and throws his fist into the air. Every single warrior from all classes throws their fists up in agreement as they cheer for their new leader. They were now ready to fight with determination in hopes of slaying the powerful gods and goddesses that threaten to wipe out millions of lives.

Elsewhere on the island of Victoria, the sun continues to beat down harshly on the desert grounds of Perion. The high mountain tops peeks out from the clouds and even at its peak, the ground is still barren and desolate. The strong beams of sunlight show no remorse to the forsaken land that is home to the mightiest of all warriors. Hundreds of servants could be seen rushing in and out of the mighty stone castle he calls his home… the servants meaning the people that he had enslaved around his castle.

"YOU THERE!" Perion's voice could be heard throughout the many halls in his stone castle. He points at a random running servant. The servant pauses and reluctantly glances at him. The power of his voice was enough to send people cowering in fear.

"Bring me some water. I had forgotten how hot and dry this place was." Perion instructs the random servant and the random servant instantly drops what he was doing and runs out of the room to fetch his new master some water.

Perion was a tyrant—and he let the whole entire city know it. He had used his immense strength and power to enslave the defenseless people of the city. He destroyed many houses and buildings alike to demonstrate his power. The warriors that were brave enough to stand up to him were instantly incinerated by his destructive force. The warriors of the city did not stand a chance against Perion's brute strength and abilities. Many succumbed to his power and became enslaved by the tyrant. The lucky few that escaped took shelter in other cities. Most of those escapees sought revenge… and the ticket to instant stardom and fame.

In the lush green forest of Ellinia, a familiar face was making its way north. The atmosphere was very damp and wet. Ponds and small pools of water were found in many areas of the forest. The slight sound of dripping water could be heard along with the quiet chirps of birds. Beams of sunlight shine through the thick canopies of these trees, just barely making its way to the ground. The trees were huge… no, they were ENORMOUS. Thick vines wrapped around the base of these trees allowed travelers to climb upwards. One had to be careful not to look down… or else.

_Tip tap… Tip tap… Tip tap…_

The soft sound of footsteps could be heard as it slowly echoes through the forest. The sound of wood striking the soft greens of the ground as the figure moves through the forest catches the attention of nearby monsters. The monsters however, chose to slowly creep away… away from the sound.

Good choice.

Flashes of hazel could be seen reflecting from Amoria's eyes as she makes her way through the beams of sunlight. Her golden tresses fall slightly over her face, shielding her face ever-so-slightly from the beams of sunlight. She had loosened her kimono and replaced the thick obi belt with a thinner belt, causing the beautiful dress to slide slightly onto her shoulders—exposing her collarbone. The air was humid and loosening her dress brought her much relief. She continues to walk deeper and deeper into the forest, heading north towards the city of Magicians… and soon, the city of warriors.

Days have passed and the forsaken city of Perion is still under control by… well… Perion (lol). The majority of the population is still running around in the large stone castle under his control. He continues to sit in a large court hall in a large stone throne with many servants around him servicing to his every need. His main objective was restoring order in his land and collaborating with his brother to bring destruction upon the group that had him sealed in that statue for hundreds of years. There were also side goals he had mentally claimed.

_Take over this land with Henesys_

_Steal Amoria and kill off Henesys when he's not looking_

_Aquire Henesys' land AND his woman._

Good plan right? He sure thought so. A grin finds its way to Perion's lips. A random servant guarding the door in the back notices the grin, but goes back to watching the giant stone door. Just then, another random servant comes running down the hall, bolts pass the random servant that was watching the door, and up the red carpet that led to Perion's throne. The servant is nearly out of breath and kneels before his new master.

"Master Perion, you have a visitor!" He quickly stammers as he continues to catch his breath. The castle was huge with plenty of stairs; I don't blame him for being exhausted. This catches Perion's attention as he raises an eyebrow. He hasn't had any visitors since he took over the city. He was very intrigued as how anyone could even stand up to him, more or less "visit" him.

"Bring him in." He orders his servants. The servants in the back struggle to open the large stone doors as they were exerting as much force as they could with their feeble hands. The door was really, really, really heavy. The silhouette of a woman could be seen as the door opens. Dark shadows fall upon her features, almost hiding her identity. Key word: _almost_

"Ohhh… Amoria, what a pleasure to see you. Really, it is." Perion's tone softens to address the woman before him. Amoria takes a step into the light of the hall and the servants instantly make way for her, forming a path from the door to Perion. Amoria smirks.

Her features were beautiful and elegant as usual. Her golden tresses rested gentle on the side of her face. Her hazel colored eyes reflected pools of light and her porcelain skin gave off a healthy glow. Her red kimono was resting on her shoulders, exposing her collarbones. This caught the attention of Perion VERY quickly.

"You really think I am here to see you?" She mocks him slightly. Perion frowns.

"Well, I'm the only one here, so… yes?" Perion questions with a hint of hope in his voice. Amoria scoffs and rolls her eyes.

"Where's Henesys?" She asks as she walks towards Perion in large steps. She quickly minimizes the large gap between them and stands meters away from him.

"How would I know, he never came to see me." Perion responds as he sees an opportunity to taunt her.

"I really don't feel like playing games with you, Perion." Amoria was tired from walking all the way from the city of Henesys with barely any rest.

"I don't mind the games, actually. In fact, there are many games I would _love_ to play with you." He winks at her. Amoria rolls her eyes and scoffs in disgust.

"Come on… it would be like old times! When Henesys wasn't looking…" Perion continues to taunt her as he tries to… well.. seduce her I guess.

"He was always slow on the traveling… I bet he still _doesn't know_." A malicious smile finds its way onto Perion's lips as he reminds Amoria of the shameful past she has tried _so_ hard to forget. Amoria bites her lower lip.

"I'm leaving." Amoria states coldly as she turns her back on the mighty warrior. Her golden hair flows behind her as she quickly makes her way to the back of the room and through the stone doors. Her eyes show signs of repressed anger and remorse.

_Remorse for such a shameful past._

She quickly makes her way out of the large stone castle and through the large stone gates that mark the entrance to castle. A random branch catches the sleeve of her red kimono and she forcefully pulls herself free. The branch manages to grab a piece of her sleeve as she walks away. The lonely piece of red fabric waves gentle in the dry wind, as to calling back its owner. Soon, she disappears into the lonely streets of the city and out of sight.

She failed to notice however, the gooey, dripping black liquid behind the stone gates. No one noticed as the servants were very busy running around, and tending to their master's every need. The thick, black liquid begins to take form as a human figure; first the body, then the arms and legs, then the head. Just as quickly as the black, liquidy figure took form, the black liquids instantly vanish into thin air. Golden tresses adore the face of the figure as it follows the slight wind blowing towards it. A red kimono clads its body as it made its way towards the castle. The eyes of the figure however, were hazel colored… with a tint of malicious black.

The sun begins to set slowly as it slowly makes its way across the sky. Dark shadows were cast upon the desolate city as the mountains began to shield the sun's rays from view. The temperature begins to drop as the source of heat slowly disappears. The sky turns a radiant orange, pink, and purple.

A servant bursts through the doors into Perion's hall, once again notifying him of a visitor. Perion is curious. He liked visitors.

"Bring them in." He instructs. The servant nods and instructs his visitor to step inside. Perion smiles.

"Welcome back, Amoria. So… I take it you changed your mind?" He asks hopefully. _Amoria_ nods and smiles.

"Ahh, good. I see that you've finally come to your senses. Good to have you back." Perion smiles warmly. _Amoria_ continues to have a smile plastered on her face. A creepy grin crawls upon Perion's lips and he motions her near him.

"All of you! Leave us now." Perion instructs. The court room fills with the sound of hustling footsteps as all of his servants leave his court hall as commanded without hesitation, including his door guards. The court hall then fills with an eerie silence.

"So… Amoria…" Perion starts. _Amoria_ turns her gaze towards him. Perion rises from his stone throne and walks towards her. The sound of clanging metal could be heard in each step he took from his heavy armor. _Amoria_ takes a few steps forward to meet him towards the center of the room. His topaz colored eyes was fixed on her hazel ones as the distance between them quickly closes. Soon they were just inches away from each other.

He reaches out with the back his right hand to stroke her cheek, awaiting to feel the warm and soft porcelain skin that had been engraved in the back of his mind… but…

_Her skin is so… cold?_

"Are you cold?" Perion asks with concern as he continues to rub her cheek with the back of his right hand. _Amoria_ closes her eyes and sighs softly as she cups Perion's hand on her cheek.

_Her hands are as cold as ice…_

"Yes, I'm cold." She says softly. Perion pulls her into an embrace and rests his head on top of hers. _Amoria_ rests her head on his mighty chest as he attempts to warm her.

"Let's go back to my chamber. I have blankets there." He suggests. _Amoria_ answers by rubber her cold cheeks against his chest.

_I'll take that as a yes…_

And with that, they part and head towards his chambers…


End file.
